A love for one
by Akkiko
Summary: After Kairi was returned to the islands Tidus taught her to fight, while he taught himself to fall in love with her! Now Riku is back and the 3 are searching for Sora, but will the enemy let Sora go?
1. Reunited at last

Chapter 1  
  
"Alright! Now hit at the side, then lunge in at the stomach, good! Now hit on the- ouch!" Tidus clutched his stomach as Kairi dropped the wooden rod and leaned in.  
  
"Sorry! I'm so sorry!!" She said hurriedly. Tidus suddenly smiled and used his rod to smack at her legs and trip her.  
  
"HEY!" She yelled as she tipped into the sand. Tidus only smiled and waved his finger from side to side giving the *tsk* *tsk* sound.  
  
"Never let your guard down." He replied to Kairi's glare. The brown- reddish haired girl smiled and brought her foot around, swinging it and tripping Tidus. Tidus, being unprepared fell backward and tumbled right onto Kairi and the next moment they were tumbling around in the sand.  
  
"Get a room ya?" Wakka said observing them from the dock.  
  
"I think that's romantic!" Selphie whined glaring at Wakka. He only shrugged and laid back hands behind his head. For a moment the two stopped and looked at each other, then Kairi glanced away and Tidus sighed, getting up they picked up their practice swords again faced each other. After another good practice duel the four of them relaxed.  
  
"So what are you guys going to do later?" Tidus asked Selphie and Wakka.  
  
"Probably goin to the-" Wakka began.  
  
"Island so that we can watch the sunset!" Selphie finished. "Wanna come?" She indicated of the others.  
  
Wakka shook his head replied,  
  
"I'm goin to the Mayor's house. I have to help him with somethin."  
  
"Okay, we'll finish up here." Kairi said smiling and walked away. Tidus stared at her as she disappeared. Finally Wakka broke the silence with an exasperated sigh.  
  
"When are ya gonna tell her man?!" He demanded of Tidus. Tidus looked at him and sighed.  
  
"I don't know, she seems to be thinking of someone else all the time. What am I supposed to do?!" He yelled back.  
  
"Anything!" Selphie and Wakka screamed back. Tidus blanched and looked down.  
  
"But, she's waiting for someone else. I know it!" When the others looked at him surprised he mumbled something and looked back at them.  
  
"I knew she'd been going back to the secret place ever since that huge storm. So one time I followed her. She seemed drawn to this one particular drawing, or scribble. After she left I checked it out."  
  
"Go on!" Selphie said leaning in intently.  
  
"It was a picture of her, real messy and lousy but the resemblance was there. I could tell, it had a hand going to another face of a guy, someone with spiky hair, they were sharing a paopu fruit." Tidus sighed and looked towards the ocean.  
  
"So, what are you going to do?" Selphie asked green eyes gentle.  
  
"Watch and wait, maybe one day Kairi will come around and return my feelings." He replied steadily.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So what's your name man?" Wakka asked a boy with turquoise eyes. He only smiled and looked away. Wakka frowned but turned back to the mayor.  
  
"He showed up like Kairi, right after a meteor shower. Can you show him around?" the mayor asked already walking away.  
  
"Ya, sure." Wakka replied and turned back to the boy who was only a few centimeters shorter then him.  
  
"Name? Mine's Wakka." And gave a hand. The boy stared at if for a second then grinned and said,  
  
"Riku."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This is the island. We spend most of our time here." Wakka explained to Riku. He was looking at the cove and was frowning. Then without warning he asked  
  
"Is there a girl named Kairi here?" Wakka jumped.  
  
"You know her?! Maybe you guys came form the same place ya?" Wakka started ranting about possibilities when he found out that the silver haired boy wasn't listening. Then there was a shout and they turned.  
  
"Hiya Wakka! How's it goin- hey! Who's he?" Selphie, as usual was extremely hyper and noticed Riku. Riku grinned and said in a light voice that was perfectly alluring  
  
"My name's Riku. I'm new here, what's your name?" Selphie nearly swooned and took his offered hand,  
  
"Selphie!"  
  
"Nice to meet you Selphie." He replied and looked her in the eyes. She melted into that smile and before she knew it Tidus was smacking her on the head with his practice rod.  
  
"Introduce us huh?" He said smiling.  
  
"Riku." He said instantly and smiled. "Hello Tidus."  
  
"Wha-? How did you know my name?!" Tidus demanded. Riku panicked at the slip but quickly recovered.  
  
"The mayor told me." Wakka studied the young male for a moment when a cry from behind made them all turn.  
  
"RIKU!" And a figure came at full speed to hug Riku.  
  
"Kairi!!" He shouted as he wrapped his arms around her. Kairi started to sob into his shirt and Riku felt little tears trickle down his face. Sighing he wiped them away and held her close. Tidus stiffened.  
  
'Was this the guy she'd been waiting for?' he thought panicked.  
  
"I thought you were gone forever!" She whispered hugging him even tighter. He only smiled lightly and hugged her tighter.  
  
"Never, I will never leave you." he whispered back. After the touching reunion everyone sat down and Wakka, Selphie, and Tidus let them have a moment alone.  
  
"Sorry man," Wakka said to Tidus. He only shrugged but his heart was in pieces.  
  
'I guess I'll never get her. Well, this Riku guy is one lucky jerk.' He thought as he watched the talking couple a few feet away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'm so glad to see you!" Kairi said smiling. Then she frowned. "Did you find-?" she didn't even finish the sentence before Riku was shaking his head looking despaired. Kairi bit her lip and then smiled.  
  
"Don't worry! I'm sure we'll find him, I mean, he's got that keyblade thingy." She replied cheerfully. "And besides, he has those two guys with him. Uh, what were their names? Danny and Gooey?" she said struggling to remember.  
  
"Donald and Goofy." Riku corrected and when he realized she was staring at him he blushed. "Learned that when they came to my side after....after Sora lost the....keyblade." he said hesitantly the memory of his betrayed friend still fresh in his mind. "I had a hard time getting to the destiny islands Kairi. What with all the heartless." He said trying to change the subject. It didn't work.  
  
"I thought Sora got rid of the..." She trailed off. Riku looked at her, then walked over and hugged her.  
  
"I hate this fact but, the truth is that there will ALWAYS be heartless. But don't ever give up hope. Don't ever lose sight of the light." Riku whispered and held her for a long time. End Chap. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Starlet: Hello, how are you? Another KH fic before I'm even on the 5th chapter of my first! Oh well, have fun reading. If I get enough reviews I'll continue. 5 and up. Okay 3 and up. OKAY, OKAY!!!!!!!!!! ANY reviews and I'll continue!!!! Lol.  
  
Starlet.  
  
Disclaimer: Not my characters, only the story is mine. The plot and all. 


	2. Decision made

Chapter 2  
  
"Riku....Kairi..." Sora drifted in and out of consciousness. Sometimes the black robed figure was there and sometimes it wasn't. The keyblade master was far too weak from the battle to think of freedom and the fact that Donald and Goofy were in another forsaken place didn't help. Gathering what little energy he had he pulled hard on the chains that bound him to the wall.  
  
"Nothing..." he whispered as he relaxed against the wall. Then, in hopes of lightening the gloom he thought of what Kairi would say.  
  
"Don't give up!" Her voice rang through his head.  
  
"I know you're stronger then this." Riku's voice came next. Sora smiled at the support his friends gave him even though they weren't there.  
  
"I'll find you Riku, then we'll both go back to Kairi." He said as he felt his strength leave him, looking at the charm Kairi gave him Sora whispered  
  
"I promise......" then he collapsed, the only thing holding him up was the chains in a dark cell.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So how good are you at fighting?" Tidus asked Riku. Riku thought for a moment and then finally replied  
  
"I'm okay." Kairi was about to say something when Riku cut her off with a look. She glared at him and he shook his head. She sighed and trotted over to the dock where Selphie sat. Tidus considered this then smiled.  
  
"In that case...I challenge you to a practice duel!" he yelled triumphantly. Hoping this would impress Kairi he swung out his practice sword and looked at him expectantly, thinking he would back out Tidus taunted.  
  
"Scared?" Riku looked at him, then smiled.  
  
"Okay, your wish." He said simply and brought out his sword. Tidus looked at the red and black sword, seeing that it was real jumped back.  
  
"Hey! Practice duel means fake sword! FAKE!" The young boy thought panicking. Wakka smiled and Selphie giggled. Tidus felt the blush burn across his face and coughed into his hand. Looking back at Riku he saw that the real sword had vanished and had been replaced by wooden sword. Riku smiled and mouthed 'only to be fair' Tidus scowled and set himself up in stance. Wakka stood at the edge and counted down.  
  
"3!...2!....1!....GO!"  
  
Tidus flung himself straight at Riku, the silver haired youth sidestepped the attack and swung down with his sword HARD. Tidus crumbled under the attack and before Riku could continue Tidus tripped the boy. Riku realizing the attack did a jump kick on him sending Tidus careening back. Then he delivered the final blow. Silence took the field as Riku walked over to Tidus. The blond haired boy glared at Riku with hatred in those blue eyes and realized with surprise that Riku had offered him a hand. Tidus ignored it and stood up by himself which wasn't easy, he felt like he'd been pounded with a hammer. Riku shrugged and Selphie jumped up.  
  
"Me next!!!" Kairi stared at her.  
  
"Are you mad?!" She demanded.  
  
"I just want to see how good he is!!" She replied scathingly and jumped down from the dock. Getting her nunchaku out (A/N: looks more like a skipping rope..) she faced Riku ready to fight. He shrugged and only said  
  
"No whining when you lose." And grinned Wakka did another count down.  
  
"3!..2! .. 1! .. GO!"  
  
Selphie swung at Riku who dodged it by jumping into the air. He landed behind her and smacked her back sending her flying by at least a foot. She got up and rubbed her head. Turning towards him she began to send her weapon in a spiral around her. Riku attacked her by tripping her first then smacking her on the head.  
  
"Ouch! I think I went down faster then Tidus!" She remarked as she stood up. Wakka smiled and took the next fight. None of his attacks worked however. Every shot he threw was hit back by Riku's sword, much like a baseball and a bat.  
  
"Hey Kairi! How about you? Wanna shot?" Selphie asked. Kairi studied Riku and Riku observed her for a moment. The she shook her head.  
  
"Nah, I'd like to keep my pride if its all the same." And smiled at the three kids all rubbing sore spots. Riku breathed relief. He didn't want to hurt Kairi.  
  
"Since when do you fight?" He asked her after they'd set down and everyone but them had left. She smiled and handed him a pear which came from the island.  
  
"Tidus has been teaching me how to fight with the sword ever since I asked him to." She said biting into it.  
  
"When?"  
  
"After Sora restored the island." She said now looking at the ocean floor which was beneath them. Sitting on the dock she remembered when Sora and she had sat together here. Right before the storm and right before this thing all began.. She suddenly started crying and her tears fell into the endless sea. Riku dropped his half eaten fruit and put an arm around her shoulders whispering  
  
"I know, I know." She leaned against his shoulder and tears continued to trickle from her face. Then she brushed them away angrily and looked at Riku.  
  
"We have to go out and find him!" She said standing up.  
  
"How?!" He demanded standing up too.  
  
"I don't know, but sitting here won't get us anywhere!"  
  
"I know, but what if I can't protect you?! What if...what if you.." he trailed off and she looked at him.  
  
"What if I what?" she asked softly. He looked at her and clenched his fist.  
  
"What if you lose you heart again?!" she stiffened and was stunned. She hadn't thought of that. Then she walked up to him and placed a hand down on his clenched fist.  
  
"I couldn't fight then. Now I can, and I learned a few new tricks from Sora's friends while he was fighting. I can manage." Riku stared at her disbelieving.  
  
"Tricks?" he whispered faintly. She smiled lightly and walked over to a small pile of dried sticks. She touched the pile and whispered  
  
"Fire." The pile burst into flames.  
  
"Magic." Riku breathed as he stared at her. Then walked up and demanded  
  
"What else?!" She smiled and replied  
  
"Ice, thunder, etc. Just the basic spells. I don't have the leveled up ones." She frowned. Then looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please Riku!" Riku sighed then looked at her and put on a stern face. Kairi's heart sank.  
  
"No, we'll..." He began and Kairi lowered her head.  
  
"..just have to stop waiting and find him!" he finished and Kairi looked up in disbelief.  
  
"You mean it?!" She demanded.  
  
"Yep. So let's find a way off this place!" He said happily and they were about to turn when a voice stopped them.  
  
"What do you mean 'let's find a way off this place' and who's Sora?"  
  
The two of them turned to find a very stern faced Tidus.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, just the plot and idea for story. Next one out soon. 


	3. A new ally

Starlet: Ouch, don't you hate me for giving cliffhangers? I'm very good at them . . . . I'm very hyper. Sorry for not writing for so long, had to finish some other stuff. I'm working now to finish my KH fics!!! So read, read, READ!!!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
'Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad' The word kept running through Riku's head as he stared at Tidus, the blonde haired youth stared back at the two of them. Kairi walked forward, a worried look on her face.  
  
"Tidus. . . . . . ?" He glared.  
  
"What's going on Kairi?" He demanded sternly. She sighed and looked at Riku uncertain, he only shrugged and she turned back to Tidus with a pleading look.  
  
"Well?" He asked irritably.  
  
"It's a long story." Riku muttered turning to the youth.  
  
"I have no where to go." He retorted. Riku stared, hate burning in those turquoise eyes. Tidus only gave an equally cold glare and Kairi sighed again.  
  
"Stop it! Listen Tidus, I. . . . . . I guess I should have told you this before, but I wanted to keep it a secret. Between the two- I mean three of us."  
  
"Three?" He murmured to her, he didn't want Riku to hear this.  
  
"Me, Riku of course, and . . . . . . . . . . . Sora."  
  
"Who's SORA?!?!?!?!" He yelled out. She sighed, Riku glared and gave a scathing look.  
  
"Sora. . . . . . he's a. . . . . . . . . .friend. Maybe more. . . . . ." She whispered, Tidus glared.  
  
~~~~  
  
'Great, this really makes my day.' Tidus though annoyed. 'First Riku comes along, I make a total fool of myself in front of the girl I like. Then this Sora guy comes into the story. . . . . . . . man, my life has been so screwed since I woke up today. It wasn't bad enough that I got eggs down my shirt thanks to my little sister.' Anger flashed across his face and Kairi stiffened. She walked up to Tidus and smiled.  
  
"Maybe. . . . . . . I should change this. Maybe I should make it a secret between 4."  
  
"Your call Kairi." Riku told her. "It's all up to you." She smiled at him in gratitude. Then she turned back to Tidus, and began from the beginning.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Don't gape Tidus, it's not very becoming." Riku commented snickering. Kairi had told him all that she could, Riku filling in the missing spots. In the end they had both reduced Tidus to be a gaping 15 year old.  
  
"You're serious?!?!?!" He demanded when he caught his breath.  
  
"No! We're joking." Riku said sarcastically, he knew what reaction what he would get. Tidus glowered and gave him a very rude gesture with his finger.  
  
"Tidus!" Kairi yelled out shocked. Riku grinned and only shrugged it off.  
  
"And you're not helping!" Kairi told him with a stern gaze as she turned on our platinum haired hero. With her hands on her hips, and a scold plastered to her face, she was the spitting image of an upset mother. Riku caught Tidus's eye, and they both collapsed into hysterical feats of laughter. She gave up, rolling her eyes she muttered;  
  
"God protect us." She muttered.  
  
"Enough of this, you and me have to find a way off here." Riku stated turning to Kairi.  
  
"You mean we." Tidus said matter-of-factly.  
  
"We? What's this 'we'?" Riku demanded. Tidus stared at him, his green eyes showing contempt, or smugness, he couldn't decide which one.  
  
"I mean we. Obviously, from what you've told me, you couldn't protect Kairi the first time you went out. So now I'm coming to protect her."  
  
"What?!" Both Riku and Kairi squawked in outrage.  
  
"Listen you little prat, if you had even SEEN what was out there, you would've run like a mouse runs from a cat." Riku growled in anger clenching his fist.  
  
"What? What could be out there, I mean it can't be too to hard to handle right?" Kairi and Riku both gaped at him. Finally, Riku just threw up his arms and turned away.  
  
"Fine!" He shouted. "FINE! You want to come, suit yourself. But if you get hurt, or you lose your heart, we ain't stopping." With that remark he trudged away. Kairi followed suit before turning to Tidus,  
  
"You sure you won't change your mind?" She whispered, he shook his defiantly. She sighed,  
  
"Okay, but please be careful. Please." She turned away and followed Riku.  
  
'Maybe I should really think of what I say before I say it.' Tidus thought numbly as he followed them in a trot.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
"What's this door?" Tidus inquired as he stared at the big brown door. Riku didn't answer and instead walked up to the door. He brought out his sword and pointed it towards the door. His sword then became a blade, much like a key, with a red hilt and black blade.  
  
"Wha-?" Tidus began when Kairi cut him off. She didn't know what that was either, but she had a feeling they shouldn't interrupt Riku. He stared at the door with concentration, first there was nothing.  
  
Then a brief light flared and he smiled. On the brown door appeared a small keyhole. Gold around the edges it had a brief flowering to the sides and looked like it was made for one of those old fashioned keys.  
  
"I command you! To break the seal and let us pass!" It shined brighter as Riku shouted each word, but the door remained where it was.  
  
"I order you to open in the name of Riku Safeguard, open!" With that final command the door dissolved and the entire area glowed white. Tidus stared as Riku walked through the door. He beckoned for the others to follow. Kairi did so without hesitating, but Tidus stopped, he would never admit it, but he was afraid. Afraid of this light, and afraid of this new experience. Riku scowled and began to leave. Tidus frowned, he'd show this Riku what he could do! With a deep breath, he jumped through the door and felt it lock behind him, with a final click, he knew they wouldn't be able to go back until they found this Sora.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, later! Buh bye, and all that stuff. 


	4. Traverse town

Chapter 4  
  
"What in gods name was that?!" Tidus yelled out, he was sitting on the floor in a very large square not quite recovering from that jump through that door.  
  
"Didn't think I'd see this place again so soon." Kairi remarked ignoring Tidus's question. She walked around the square of the 3rd district in Traverse town.  
  
"Yeah. . . . . . . . ." Riku remarked. They both fell silent as they remembered certain memories.  
  
~ Flashback ~  
  
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10! Ready or not! Here I come!" Kairi shouted as she turned away from the tree. She looked around and smiled as she saw that flash of red.  
  
"Found you Sora!" She called out. There was a squeak and Sora dashed from behind the boulder and ran for the tree Kairi had just been at. She tried to catch him, but failed.  
  
"No fair!" She called out. Sora smiled and leaned against the tree, giving that cute 5 year old smile.  
  
"Now you have to find Riku!" He called out to her, she glared and went in search of Riku. It was almost 5 minuets before she saw that flash of silver hair.  
  
"Found Riku!" She yelled out. Riku jumped in surprise and raced for the tree, Kairi however got there before him and tagged him.  
  
"You're it!" He glowered and muttered  
  
"Mean." Sora laughed.  
  
"I shouldn't have to! I'm 6! I'm older then both of you." He declared in a desperate attempt.  
  
"So? Me and Kairi are both 5, but age don't mean a thing." Sora retorted. Riku glowered and walked up to the tree.  
  
"Fine! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8-"  
  
Kairi rushed about madly trying to find a good spot to hide. She was running when something tripped her. She fell and banged her knee on a rock.  
  
"Ah!" She cried out as she dropped to the ground and held her knee, it bled furiously.  
  
"Kairi!" Sora yelled out worried. In a flash both Riku and Sora were next to her side and had worried glances on their faces.  
  
"What happened?!" Sora whispered. Kairi sobbed and carefully raised her hands to show them a 2 foot gash that looked pretty deep.  
  
"Oh no!" Riku yelled as he looked at it. Sora looked too and gasped, there was a small line of green trailing down form it. It had come from the rock. The rock had, had a miasma bulb on it. Those bulbs were known for carrying a poisonous and fatal liquid on the insides of it.  
  
"Oh no. . . . . oh no, oh no, oh no." Kairi sobbed. Sora patted her on the shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry! I'm sure we can help you!" He called out.  
  
"HOW?! My mom told me that those things are f-fatal?" Riku muttered trying to remember the last word.  
  
"I don't care! I don't even know what vaval means!!" Sora rebelled and laid a hand on Kairi's shoulder. He slowly moved her hands and touched the wound, in a flash of bright light the poison and wound alike were gone.  
  
Silence enveloped the grassy plain.  
  
"W-what did you do?" Riku whispered in awe.  
  
"Whatever he did, it stopped the hurt." Kairi muttered touching her once damaged knee gingerly.  
  
"I . . . . . . . . . . . I don't know." Sora murmured just as awed as them.  
  
~ End Flashback ~  
  
"Hey?" Tidus called. "Hey?! HEY!!!!!!!" he screamed into Riku's ear. Riku snapped out of it and jumped back.  
  
"Wha-?!" He yelled out. Tidus glared.  
  
"Glad you decided to join us back in the real world dream boy." He muttered.  
  
"Enough." Kairi muttered. She began a slow walk towards the 1st district. Riku followed without question, leaving a very stunned Tidus. Suddenly he sighed and his face dropped.  
  
"I give up."  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
"Well, well, well. How's my favorite prisoner coming along?" The black robed figure asked, his hood covered his eyes, but there was a smile on his lips, and his voice favored humor. Sora stared, hatred burning in those eyes. He managed to form one word on his lips.  
  
"Bastard."  
  
The figure smiled even wider.  
  
"Now, now, that's no way to treat an old friend, is it?" The figure told him pulling back the hood. Sora glared unmoved. He laughed.  
  
"You never cease to amaze boy."  
  
"Only you could be so insane." Sora paused, then whispered the figure's name. "Ansem."  
  
"A new form, a new face, and yet you still recognize me." Ansem whispered clearly impressed, he was now a youth of 17. Black haired which was straight to the sides of his face, short and stocky he still carried scars on his face from their previous encounter.  
  
"What's the matter Ansem? Lost the touch of keeping healthy, or is that just your REAL face?" Sora taunted. He laughed once more, and brought a hand up to touch those deep, sharp, ragged scars.  
  
"A souvenir from last time I believe." He remarked.  
  
"Too bad that WASN'T the last time." Sora remarked sharply. The keyblade master gazed into those golden eyes and felt his hatred grow. He wanted to kill that jerk for hurting Riku and Kairi.  
  
"Where's Donald and Goofy?!?!" The brown haired youth demanded.  
  
"Never mind them, you should worry about yourself." He looked at the nails on his hand, all perfect.  
  
"Isn't it ironic?" He muttered.  
  
"Stop talking in riddles Ansem." Sora muttered dully.  
  
"It's rather simple, apparently Kairi and Riku are tired of waiting for you to come back. So they set off looking for you. That's such an ironic twist, you searched forever to find them, and now they're going to search for a long time trying to find you." He inspected Sora's reaction through the rims of his lashes. The youth had paled.  
  
"Riku and Kairi?" He whispered.  
  
"One of their group is someone I want, someone with extraordinary powers. You should know who."  
  
"Kairi." Sora muttered. Ansem neither confirmed nor denied this.  
  
"What do you want with her?!" The youth screamed.  
  
"Don't worry." Was all he said. "You'll find out soon enough. But first, I'm having a bit of trouble getting near them. SO I'll have you do that instead."  
  
"What?! HOW?!"  
  
"Mind control." Sora stared at him as if he were insane.  
  
"You're mad." He remarked staring in disbelief. Ansem laughed.  
  
"Don't underestimate me boy." He muttered and touched a finger to Sora's forehead. Sora struggled to get away, but failed. He felt all his energy leave him, then slumped lifeless onto the wall.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine.  
  
Starlet: DAMN!!! I keep spelling Disclaimer as; Discalimer. DAMN!!! Oh well, that chappie was shorter then usual. I'll keep writing!!! Adios!! 


	5. Fighting for real

Starlet: Apparently something bothers people, or at least 1 of my reviewers, this is just one of those stories that are really confusing in the beginning then after a while everything begins to unfold itself. So if you're wondering what happened to Sora, and others, it'll all be explained. And if that don't clear things up then E-mail me please, I like to talk to my readers, I have no life. . . . . . . . . Lol.  
  
Chapter something, I won't bother counting anymore.  
  
"What the FUCK is that?!?!?!" Tidus yelled as a shadow jumped at him, he stepped to the side as the thing bolted past him. The blonde youth tried to kill it with his wooden rod, but barely made a scratch.  
  
"Move." Riku muttered and swept in smooth as butter. He gave one slash of his sword and the shadow vanished in a puff of black, inky smoke. Tidus sighed and turned around to face a black form wearing a knight's helm, it danced around a bit, then launched itself at Tidus with a spinning kick.  
  
"SHIT!" He yelled and dodged it, the thing went sailing past him and was about to try again when a blast of fire pelted it and it was destroyed. Tidus looked and there was Kairi, she had her hands in a position that suggested she had used a spell to save him. Tidus gave an inward sigh as he stood up.  
  
'Great, I say I'm gonna protect her, and she ends up protecting me!' He thought miserably as Riku came over.  
  
"That was odd." The silver haired youth remarked.  
  
"Heartless don't usually show up here." He said as he pointed all around them, they were in the secret waterway.  
  
"I know." Kairi whispered silently. Tidus frowned  
  
"Heartless?! Is that what you called those freaky things?! Geez, they were evil looking."  
  
"Scared?" Riku asked looking at him. Tidus puffed out his chest in pride.  
  
"Course not."  
  
"Then you're stupid." He muttered quietly. "The heartless are governed by darkness, if you don't keep caution with the heartless and the darkness, then you can lose your heart, or worse. I should know." He looked down. Tidus's face was blank with confusion for a minute, then contorted,  
  
'Of course, when he'd been taken by darkness himself.' Tidus thought feeling uneasy. How could he have not been afraid? Much as Tidus hated to admit it, Riku WAS strong, more strong then anyone he'd met. And he'd been beaten by darkness, and these things?! The idea was frightening. Tidus shuddered and tuned in again to what the others were saying.  
  
". . . . where do we go next?" Riku asked.  
  
"Anywhere we have to, just so long as we can find Sora."  
  
Sora again, that name was getting really old. All Kairi had said about it was that Sora was the key to survival of all worlds, Riku wouldn't give a sliver of information, apparently something still bothered him about Sora, Tidus sighed again and walked to the far side of the wall. There seemed to be an opening and a stairway which led up. Climbing the stairs Tidus found at the top some sort of floating platform. Curious, he touched it. Nothing. Tidus kept prodding it till he got annoyed and jumped on the thing.  
  
"GAH!" He yelled out as the thing sharply rose causing Tidus to fall down. Before he could stop it, he was rising towards a room, and he had no idea where it was.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Where the hell is Tidus?!" Riku shouted in fury. Kairi sighed.  
  
"Probably wandered off, but I'm worried." Riku stared at her then sighed.  
  
"Fine! Will look for that guy, but only because you want to. Anyone else had asked I would have kicked them so hard in their-" "Riku." Kairi murmured warningly, he grinned.  
  
"Okay, we get the point. Let's go!" He yelled. Kairi nodded and they began to search around the area for anything they might find.  
  
"Hey Kairi!" Riku yelled out a little while later.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"There's something like a lift right here." He shouted back. She came over.  
  
"Looks just like a piece of floating cement to me." She remarked, after seeing thousands of heartless, a world being born out of a patch of sand, her friend being taken over by an evil spirit, and losing her heart, nothing really surprised her anymore.  
  
"Think the moron went up?" Riku asked, she raised an eyebrow questionably at him. He grinned  
  
"Tidus."  
  
"I know, stop calling him names please? Try to get along okay. For Sora's sake." Riku sighed.  
  
"Sure, sure. Anything for a princess." He bowed mockingly. She gave a smirk and smacked him on the head.  
  
"HEY!" He yelled out rubbing his abused body part. She grinned and climbed on, it lifted up as predicted.  
  
"Coming?"  
  
"Wait for me!" He yelled out and jumped on. She snickered.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"Where the hell am I?!" Tidus screamed, he was sitting in a circular room, it was completely empty and dark. He stared around thinking.  
  
'This is just not my day, wouldn't you know it? I get lost in some frickin shit ass place.' He grumbled something about moronic tricks, then stood up. Looking at his surroundings he saw a form covered up beneath a blanket. It rested in the middle on some sort of circular rise. He stared, the form is covered was sort of lumpy.  
  
"Weird." Tidus muttered. Suddenly a thought struck him and he panicked.  
  
"Please tell me I'm not in a mad scientists laboratory!" he yelled out.  
  
"Hardly, if you were, I'd put a brain into your head." A voice drawled. Tidus spun around to find Kairi who looked happy to see him, and a very, VERY pissed Riku who didn't look so happy to see him. The green eyed youth blanched.  
  
"Why the hell did you run off?!" He screamed. Kairi sighed.  
  
"Well. . . . . . . . . I . . . . ." He trailed off and Riku looked even more crazed. If possible that is.  
  
"Riku." Kairi said silently. "You're not helping." Riku stared.  
  
"God Tidus, you are SO lucky Kairi likes you so much, elsewise you'd be stuck in a hospital.  
  
"Sure. I think my major problem is that I can't fight with this thing!" He yelled out showing them his wooden rod. Riku nodded, and Kairi told him the same thing.  
  
"Tidus is right, my magic is useful, but I can't rely on it completely." Riku nodded.  
  
"Thought so. You know, I was wondering why that guy gave me these." He said and pulled the cloth off the lumpy form. It revealed a staff of some sorts. It was long, almost 5 feet long. At the top is had a golden circlet attached to it, and in the circle was a golden star, but the star was made only of 5 lines that cris-crossed over each other. The outside was outlined by three jagged points. He picked it up and handed it to Kairi. She took and smiled.  
  
"This works." Riku then picked up the sword and tossed it to Tidus. He fumbled to catch it. Lifting the sword he gaped. It was long, almost as tall as him, and Tidus was VERY tall. The hilt was black and wrapped around with a silver cloth. The blade was protruding out of a piece at the bottom of the hilt which looked like a curved 'x' only the ends curved and were more closer together. The blade was a shimmering silvery blue, it looked like it was almost alive.  
  
"T-thanks Riku." He murmured. For the first time ever, Riku smiled and Tidus. Kairi noticed this and smiled herself.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"You know what to do." Ansem said to a black dressed Sora. Sora now wore a pair of black jeans, which helped make him look more cool, those old red pants weren't really that great after his last growth spurt. With his black jeans he also wore a white shirt, but the sleeves looked like someone has hacked them into strips with a knife, now, some of them were wrapped around his arms, and the rest of the fabric hung loosely to the wind. By his side he carried his keyblade, it wasn't the oathkeeper, as he usually liked to keep it on. But the Ultima blade. A gift from Ansem. On his wrists were black wrist bands, and he had a golden spiraling circlet on his arm above his elbow on the right. His hair had become less levitated and more droopy. Sora's eyes were hollow, almost dead. The youth smiled and nodded, he walked away.  
  
"Follow him and do what I said." Ansem directed to a small group of heartless, they were wyverns. Fast and deadly. He would've like to use shadows, but that would have been hard to believe that the keyblade master was defeated by the lowliest of heartless. Oh well, anything to get that youth. That one person who could help him unlock the final gate that wretched king had put up.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"So who gave you these weapons anyway Riku?" Tidus wanted to know.  
  
"Mickey, he said I'd need them to find Sora." The youth told them.  
  
"How'd you get out? And if he knew this was coming, then that's a big coincidence." Kairi muttered. Riku stopped and stared straight ahead.  
  
"Nothing is coincidence, there is only fate, and the inevitable." He murmured calmly, the other two stared at him. Tidus caught Kairi's eyes, she caught his, they both stared at each other in confusion. The Tidus shrugged and walked on. Kairi sighed. They were walking till they heard sounds of fighting.  
  
"What's that?" Tidus murmured. Kairi felt weird, she had this warmth in her heart, like it was burning. Not the painful type, but more like the feeling of sitting next to a warm fire. Then she knew. She raced past Riku and Tidus with a painful look of hope plastered to her face.  
  
"Kairi!?" Riku yelled out running after her.  
  
"The hell does she think she's doing?!" Tidus demanded as he dashed ahead. They both followed Kairi as she burst through the doors to the first district. She looked wildly around and gasped. Tidus stopped next to her and bent over, hands on knees.  
  
"God, I'm winded." He remarked. Riku stopped to her side and stared at her.  
  
"What was so important that you HAD to. . . . . . . run. . . . . . . . off . . . . . ?" he trailed away as he suddenly saw who she was gaping at.  
  
"It can't be. . . . ." He whispered.  
  
"It is! I know it is!" She shouted out. Tidus stared at them both as if they were crazy.  
  
"What are you two TALKING about?!" he demanded. They ignored him.  
  
"Sora!" Kairi yelled, she was about to rush forward when she noticed something. His arms were bleeding, his face was torn and scratched. It still looked that same, but more stern, mature and serious. Fatigue had made him look weary.  
  
"Tidus! Either help or move!" Riku yelled out and ran towards Sora with his keyblade drawn. Sora was fighting the heartless with ragged wings off one by one. Without realizing it a wyvern raised above his head and plummeted heading straight for him. Sora looked up just in time to see, but far too late to dodge.  
  
"Shit!" Riku hissed as he gave a powerful jump and flew right into the wyvern causing it to barrel over. Sora stared at Riku in confusion, he was about to say something when a wyvern skimmed his arm.  
  
"Damn, they just won't stop coming!" The brown haired youth yelled out. Riku nodded.  
  
"With us that should even the score." Together the duo fought off the attacks, Kairi stood by, when she saw that they were having trouble she stepped in. Using her magic and staff she fended off the heartless's attacks from her and the others. Tidus saw this and stiffened.  
  
"No more hiding." He whispered to himself and dove in. Striking left right and center he took out three of the weird things easily. Sora smiled.  
  
"Finally!" Riku yelled out. "You're making yourself useful!" Tidus scowled. After about 10 minutes of fighting Riku knew they wouldn't hold out much longer.  
  
"If these guys don't stop showing up, then we won't make it out alive." The silver haired youth declared. Tidus and Kairi gaped.  
  
'I have to protect Kairi!' Tidus thought worried.  
  
"Oh no they won't!" She yelled out. She felt small tears of anger begin to build in her eyes. Then she felt a burst of energy. A flash of light took the area and everyone was blinded.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"What the HELL was that?!" Tidus screamed out. He felt like the life had been kicked out of him. All he remember was Kairi screaming 'Oh no they won't' then that flash of energy, and the next thing he knew, all those things were gone and Kairi was shivering on the cobblestones.  
  
"Kairi?" He murmured to her in worry. She looked up and gave a feeble smile.  
  
"I'm okay." He nodded and tried to stand up. His legs however felt like pudding at that moment. Worse then when he'd fought Riku.  
  
"Whatever that was, it was a major burst of energy." Sora remarked. Everyone looked at him. Riku smiled.  
  
"What were you doing playing with those things? You should have been back to the Destiny Islands by now." Sora frowned, he looked confused.  
  
"Sora! I'm so glad you're okay!" Kairi said hugging him. He didn't hug back just took a step back looking confused.  
  
"So you're Sora, I can tell why these guys were looking for you. You look like one hell of a fighter." Tidus told the brown haired youth. He stared at them in confusion.  
  
"What are you talking about? My name's Dalland." Everyone stared.  
  
"What?" Kairi whispered in disbelief, she let go and backed up a bit to get a better look at him. It was definitely Sora, there was no mistake. He even had the keyblade, it HAD to be Sora.  
  
"What did you say your name was?" Riku murmured.  
  
"Dalland, full name's Dalland Corona. Now I have a question for you." He said sternly.  
  
"Who are you?" He asked and pointed to Kairi.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Oh!!! Don't you hate me for leaving cliffhangers?! Hehehehe, oh well. Spent hours trying to figure out how to break that out and not make it seem like some cheesy joke or twist. Buh bye! 


	6. Dalland, or Sora?

Chapter ________(I don't KNOW!!!!!!)  
  
"You're joking?!" Riku yelled out.  
  
"No, I'm not. My name is Dalland Corona, and I have absolutely NO idea who the hell you guys are." Sora or Dalland stated. Kairi gaped.  
  
"But you-" She began.  
  
"Have you made contact with anyone lately?" Riku asked the youth.  
  
"Only a man." Sora muttered uncertain.  
  
"Eye color?" He wanted to know.  
  
"Gold." Sora replied instantly.  
  
"Figures." Riku murmured and walked into a small corner thinking. Kairi followed him, Tidus decided he'd go to. Sora shrugged and took out his keyblade, he then began a series of thrusts, and blocks.  
  
"So, is he this Sora guy or not?!" Tidus hissed. Riku nodded.  
  
"He is, I've no doubt about that, though I think he was paid a little visit by our friendly neighborhood moron." Kairi glared.  
  
"Speak English!" She ordered harshly.  
  
"He's got an ethereal air about him." Tidus remarked looking over his shoulder to observe that brown haired youth. When looking back at the others he saw their puzzled faces.  
  
"Angelic, spiritual air." He translated. They gave that nod of their head while saying 'Ohhhhhhh' and went back to their talk.  
  
"Ansem, I think Ansem might have given our friend a memory loss. Hopefully only temporary."  
  
"ANSEM?! Why that slimy little Bast-" Riku silenced her by putting a finger to her lips.  
  
"Princesses are supposed to be quiet." He told her sternly.  
  
"Princess? What are you talking about?" Tidus wanted to know.  
  
"She's a princess of heart. Someone who holds the power to open the final door." Riku murmured hastily and went back to talking about their situation.  
  
"It's definitely Sora, and if what you say is right, then how do we get OUR Sora back?" Kairi wanted to know. Riku sighed.  
  
"I wish I knew. I really wish I knew."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Sora continued to practice dueling with an invisible partner, he smiled as a thought came to him.  
  
'Isn't it odd, I have no one to talk to, and just as I get a little lonely, I have three kids dumped on my lap.' He kept swinging and lunging until a funny feeling came over him. His eye went hollow, almost as if they were empty.  
  
'Make sure you play dumb until I get who I want.' Ansem's voice came floating to him. Sora froze and nodded solemnly, his face showed a lack of emotion.  
  
'Protect the youth until I get them.' Ansem commanded and his presence left. Sora shook his head and was able to think again just as someone called him.  
  
"Hey Sor- I mean, Dalland!" the girl called. Sora stared at her.  
  
"Yes?" She trotted up to him.  
  
"Don't think I told you my name, it's Kairi." The silver haired boy had a stern face and stood beside her. The blonde one just looked annoyed.  
  
"This is Riku." She gestured to the silver one. " . . . . and Tidus." She pointed to the other. Tidus offered a hand and Sora just nodded, Tidus stared. Riku chuckled, and looked away. The blonde haired youth glared at him. Sora grinned.  
  
"So Dalland, where exactly do you come from?" Riku inquired turning back to him. Sora shrugged.  
  
"Dunno, I've always been a wanderer. Never settling down or anything." Tidus stared, and smiled.  
  
"What kind of answer is that?" Sora shrugged. Kairi looked desolate. Then she smiled.  
  
"At least we found you." She whispered hoping Sora wouldn't hear that. He did and turned to stared at her.  
  
"Why do you keep acting like you know me?!" He demanded. Kairi stared, Riku looked away. Only Tidus was left looking completely lost.  
  
"You DO know who I am. . . . . . . . . . . . don't you?" Sora whispered hesitantly, he stared at the trio. He'd always felt that Dalland wasn't his real name. He felt that it belonged to someone else.  
  
"We know who you are, but apparently you don't." Riku remarked.  
  
"Dammit!! Will someone tell me what the HELL is going on?! We found this guy, now can we go back?! God!" Tidus freaked out. Everyone stared at him.  
  
"Maybe we should go somewhere safer." Sora murmured. "By the way, what did you call me?" He asked turning to Kairi.  
  
"Sora." She whispered. Then she smiled weakly. "Sora Meliorate, ironic isn't it? Your last name means; 'to heal'." Sora stared.  
  
"Well it does seem a better name then 'Dalland'." The youth commented.  
  
Riku nodded. They walked away leaving Tidus very much like before, staring at their retreating back completely confused.  
  
"This is just not my day." He muttered and trotted to catch up with them.  
  
Disclaimer: Not Mine.  
  
Author's note: I think a lot of people were going to kill me when I made Sora forget who Kairi was. Oh well. I know a lot of people are bored with the theory that Ansem comes back to try and kill Sora, but I had no idea who to put in as a villain. I mean, wouldn't the theory that Ansem has a brother who wants to kill Sora a little cheesy? I thought so, oh well. Is Ansem after Kairi again? Who knows! Find out in the next chappie. 


	7. Kidnapped

Chapter I don't caaaaaaarrrrrrrreeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol.  
  
The gang settled in at the. . . . . . .well. . . . . . inn. Of course there was a few slight problems that were quickly changed.  
  
"Sorry kid, there aren't any room with three beds in it, not even two. There are only one bedded rooms." The manager had said, the look of greed in his eye. Riku looked away from the pudgy man's face to look at Sora, and Tidus. All 3 nodded in unison, Sora and Riku swung their keyblades out, while Tidus grabbed his sword.  
  
"Change your mind?" Sora asked giving a friendly smile. The man gulped.  
  
"Blue room for the gentlemen, and the red room for the young lady." He said instantly holding up to sets of keys.  
  
"Was that really necessary?!" Kairi hissed after they walked away from the counter.  
  
"Yes." All three boys replied at once. They laughed. A little while later, the three sat in the red room, Sora leaned against the wall, Tidus sat next to Kairi on the bed, Riku was pacing.  
  
"I have a few questions Riku." Kairi told the youth.  
  
"Me too." Tidus voice in.  
  
"Same." Sora muttered.  
  
Riku looked at them all annoyed.  
  
"Trying to think here people!!!"  
  
"That's dangerous isn't it?" She laughed as he threw a pillow at her. Riku grinned.  
  
"Ladies first." Sora declared smiling.  
  
"One, how'd you get out of. . . . . . . . . wherever you were?" She began.  
  
"Well, Kingdom Hearts, was the heart of ALL worlds, so it kinda acted like a portal, after fighting thousands of heartless, I was frustrated, I thought I'd never get out of there. Finally I found this weird door, it had odd carvings all over it, and was colored a really weird PINK color, or something. So I walk through, next thing I know I'm sitting in Hollow Bastion, right in front of the keyhole. I finally figured out how it worked after a while, that's how I was able to come back." He finished and smiled.  
  
"Me next!" Tidus told them. Riku sighed.  
  
"I can already feel my sore throat."  
  
"Okay, if you used to live on the island, why can't we remember you?" Tidus wondered.  
  
"That, I don't know. I have a theory." Riku replied.  
  
"Anything to shed some light please?" the blond haired youth begged.  
  
"Well, when the island was restored, courtesy of Sora." The brown haired youth blinked in confusion at his new name, not quite having gotten used to it.  
  
"I think what happened, was that when the world was restored, everything on it was restored EXCEPT us because, we weren't on it. Kairi was remembered, because she was on the island. We weren't, so that means that when the world was reborn, the memory of us, vanished. You see?"  
  
"Er. . . . . . . . . . ." Now Riku had the whole group with little question marks over their heads. He sighed again.  
  
"Okay, to make it simple, say when the world was reborn, your memories were locked away, like a function meant to keep them safe. Say you had memories that were sealed away, the only thing that could unlock them were the people who the memories were about! With me so far?" Everyone nodded. "So, when me and Sora weren't there to unlock them, maybe, because you didn't get to unlock them, they disappeared, because you forgot, or because your mind thought they were useless. Okay?" Everyone nodded again.  
  
Sora sighed, and stood straight.  
  
"My turn, who's Ansem?"  
  
"An evil slimy little basta-!" Kairi began but Riku cut her off.  
  
"Kairi, much as you want to call him that I don't think you should." She glared.  
  
"I'm not saying that he isn't, just. . . . . . . . never mind. Ansem, he's well. Basically a guy who thinks that all hearts come from darkness and is bent on becoming darkness itself so that he can return all hearts to darkness. Simple?"  
  
"Basically, you're saying that he's a total lunatic."  
  
"Exactly." Kairi and Riku said in unison.  
  
"It's getting late, let's just all go to bed." Kairi murmured yawning. The three of them nodded and left. Heading for their room, Sora walked in, and leaned against the wall thinking. Riku walked in after Tidus who promptly jumped onto the bed, and the white haired youth simply shut the door looking at Sora.  
  
"I actually have a question for you." He remarked. Sora looked at him surprised.  
  
"Sure, but what can I answer for you?" Tidus sat up and stared at them both, sensing another conversation he would have no idea about laid back onto one of the three beds colored blue and looked at the ceiling.  
  
"When you saw Ansem, what did he say to you?" Sora blinked, and thought for a moment, what HAD Ansem said? Sora thought for a few more minutes before answering.  
  
"I. . . . . . . . I'm not quite sure, something about . . . . . . the chosen one? He said he wanted one of you. Which one though, I'm not sure." Sora sighed. Riku glared.  
  
"Can't you remember anything more then that?!" He demanded.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I just can't!"  
  
"Listen Sora, if you don't remember, by the time you do one of us could be dead!"  
  
"Well if you think you know all why don't YOU tell me you blasted little-!" Their argument was interrupted by a large snore. Turning towards the beds they saw Tidus sprawled out onto a bed, a small line of drool dripping from his open mouth. Riku looked back and Sora, Sora looked back at Riku, sniggers tugged at both their mouths. Sora smiled.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Like wise." Riku replied, they laid down on their own beds and drifted off into sleep.  
  
~~~~  
  
Riku was running, something was behind him, he didn't know what but he had to get away. He swore and skidded around the corner, his breath was heavy. He saw the inn up ahead, jumping the balcony he landed and skipped across the separate wooden structures till he stopped. Suddenly he found himself in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kairi's room. She was sleeping peacefully on the bed. What was wrong? Why didn't she wake up? Couldn't she sense the danger? A figure loomed on the far side. Tall and black, his eyes piercing, the figure rose a black inky like projection, it was a sword. The figure swung the sword down and. . . . . . . .  
  
"KAIRI!!" Riku yelled out sitting up in bed sharply. Glancing around wildly he saw that he was safe, and Kairi probably was too.  
  
"The Germans attackin you Rik?" Tidus murmured siting up and yawning bleakly. Riku suddenly noticed something.  
  
"Where's Sora?"  
  
~~~~  
  
"What the rush?!" Tidus demanded as Riku dragged him out the door, the silver haired youth was running like no tomorrow.  
  
"I think Kairi's in danger."  
  
"What?!" Tidus was wide awake now.  
  
"Remember what Sora said about Ansem wanting someone?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I think he want Kairi again, but why? Kairi can't do anything other then open the final door." Riku hesitated before adding. "Can she?" Tidus thought for a moment, then shook his head.  
  
"Let's stop talking about it and find out." Riku nodded, he could stop dragging Tidus now, they burst through the door to Kairi's room.  
  
"Riku! Tidus! Help!" Riku stared, Tidus looked like he was going to be a ghost any second now, his skin was whiter then chalk. Sora stood there, his keyblade to Kairi's throat. His eyes were hollow.  
  
"Sora! The HELL Are you doing?!" Tidus yelled out. Sora gave an ugly smile.  
  
"Only what I wanted him to do." A cold voice murmured. Riku turned around and jumped as a black clad figure stood there, reveling in all his glory was Ansem.  
  
"YOU!"  
  
"You who?" Tidus asked looking at Riku in confusion.  
  
"Ansem you moron!" Riku retorted smacking the blonde on the head.  
  
"OW! Okay, geez." Tidus muttered rubbing his abused head, looking at Ansem he glared.  
  
"What do you want?" Ansem laughed.  
  
"Such bravery, are you sure you shouldn't be afraid of me? Like Riku?"  
  
"I'm not!" Riku yelled out, but his body said other wise, he was trembling. Ansem chuckled.  
  
"As you say so, Sora!" He called out snapping fingers. Sora nodded, his eyes still blank, his face emotionless, he walked forward, the blade still on Kairi's throat. The brown haired youth murmured one threat.  
  
"Come near her and I kill. We can use her dead as well." The other two stared. Riku thought of moving forward to help her, but how? One move and she'd die. He didn't feel like calling their bluff. Not with Kairi on the line.  
  
"What are you going to do with her?" He yelled out.  
  
"Simple, I need her for a little favor. If she's still alive after, you can have her back."  
  
"Why you-!" Tidus growled, Ansem smiled. A small wellspring of darkness appeared beneath him. Sora stepped into it, still guiding Kairi.  
  
"Hmm. . ." Ansem hummed thinking. "Why not let you say goodbye to your friends?" Ansem snapped his finger again and Sora blinked, once, twice, then he was staring around wildly, his eyes had lost that dazed look.  
  
"Help . . . . . . . . . . please." He whispered hoarsely while collapsing from weakness. Riku stared.  
  
"Sora. . . . . . ." He whispered, here was the old Sora, the one with all the memories, the happy look.  
  
"Sora! Kairi!" Riku called out he leapt forward in an attempt to grab them both and pull them out. To late, the darkness swallowed them both. The silver haired youth was left standing there with a despaired look on his face.  
  
"Kairi, no . . . . . . . . . ." Tidus whispered in shock.  
  
'C'mon, come back. No, she's not gone!' He thought in anger. 'This is a dream, all just a dream.' But the blonde knew the harsh reality, this wasn't a dream, both Sora, and Kairi were gone. Maybe forever, just because he couldn't protect her.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine.  
  
Starlet: Don't you hate me? No? Well you SHOULD!!!!!!!!!! ARGH!!!!!!!!! Lol, anyway, I'll write more soon! Later! 


	8. The truth at last

Now my question is. . . who do I make the reacting one first? Riku? Or Tidus? Who gets their senses back and starts the rescue mission? ARGH!!! Hmmm . . . .must think on this one. Oh, and I put up a notice explaining why some chapters are taking their time coming in. Take a look if you're wondering!  
  
Chapter . . . .8?  
  
Silence. That was all that could be heard in the room. Neither Riku or Tidus knew what to say. Riku was far too stunned at Sora's betrayal, even though he'd expected it, Tidus on the other hand was simply dazed. He never really was the one to think too much.  
  
"Er. . . Riku?" Tidus muttered. Riku sighed, and turned to face the lanky youth.  
  
"Let me guess." Tidus began.  
  
"We're going to rescue them." Both said together. Riku stiffened, then smiled.  
  
"I'm getting too predictable."  
  
"Not really, I'm beginning to think that I've been hanging around you too much." Tidus offered with a grin.  
  
"This is odd." Riku remarked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Kairi has been trying for so long to get us to be nice to each other, now when she's gone were best friends."  
  
"Irony is a major role in my life." Laughter came out from both, then Riku stared at Tidus, a small glimmer of confidence hidden in his eye.  
  
"I think Kairi will be very happy if. . . . . *when* we get her back. Sora too, then we can both show that Ansem guy a thing or two."  
  
"Right!"  
  
~~~  
  
"Ready?" Riku asked as he turned to Tidus, they stood in front of the keyhole in Traverse town. Tidus gulped, checked once more to see if his sword was securely tied in the sheath on his back, then nodded to Riku with a gulp. Riku grinned.  
  
"Open in the name of Riku Safeguard!" The youth yelled, much like the scene in Destiny Islands, a giant keyhole appeared, this however it was outlined by silver. This time though, it was placed on a painting in front of the fountain. The tiny faucets on the side painting shot to life, water droplets began to pour down on them.  
  
"This is really going to ruin my hair style you know." Tidus complained loudly holding his hands above his head. Riku shot him an aggravated look, they met each other's eyes and laughed. Riku turned back to the now shimmering keyhole, which was outlined by a rainbow colored line tracing the rim of the lock. Riku then held the point of his keyblade adjacent with the keyhole so that if the keyblade were inserted, it would fit in perfectly. Light enveloped them both and before anyone knew it, the two youths had vanished.  
  
~~~  
  
"Whoa, where are we?!" Tidus demanded. They were in a circular room made of white marble. On the floor was a compass, the four pointed one like the one you find on maps. Except there wasn't the regular letters on the points like N for North, in their place were glowing silver symbols. One side had a star, another a heart, another, the sign of the heartless, and on the last spot was a blank? There was nothing there.  
  
"Was like that when I first came here too." Riku muttered noticing where Tidus was looking. He gestured to the walls. The white marble shifted slightly, then began to ripple like water. Then about 15 mirrors melted out of the walls. Each mirrors' center was made of liquid glass.  
  
"And those are?"  
  
"The gateway into each of the worlds. Each mirror is a different door to the heart of each world." Riku replied.  
  
"There are only 15?"  
  
"Nope, these are just the ones I've been to. You want to see all the mirrors?" Riku asked, without waiting for a reply he waved his hand and the entire wall around them, including the ceiling rippled and at least a hundred more mirrors formed.  
  
"There are even more then this." Riku replied with a snicker to Tidus's open mouth stares.  
  
"So how the heck are we supposed to find Kairi?!" Tidus demanded.  
  
"That's for you to do." Riku said turning to him.  
  
"Wha-?! ME?!"  
  
"Yes you."  
  
"HOW?!" Tidus demanded.  
  
"Simple, you're still untouched by darkness. You can find Kairi because you're untouched. Unlike me. . ."  
  
Tidus nodded but was still puzzled.  
  
"I still don't get it."  
  
"Simple. Kairi is the purest of hearts, more pure then even Sora the key wielder. So only someone who has been in contact with her, has a pure heart, and the one who can find her is someone who has feelings for her. I unfortunately fill only two of those. I need all three, they're called the. . . . . .The Rules of Heart? Something like that. That's why we need you. Also . . . . . there's something odd about you." Riku trailed off.  
  
"What . . . . . . . . .what do you mean?"  
  
"You play a part in this, I know that much." Riku said quietly.  
  
"Why you so sure?" Tidus demanded faintly, ignoring the fact that the walls had formed to from only the 15 mirrors again.  
  
"Because you came through."  
  
"I. . . . I what?!"  
  
"You came through the door, not only this one, but the one in Destiny Island."  
  
"So? So did you and Kairi." Tidus declared feeling rather uncomfortable.  
  
"I'm a keyblade wielder. Did you wonder how I could get to each world even though they're sealed? It's because I wield the keyblade. Kairi can too because she's a princess of heart. Sora like wise, he has the Keyblade of truth. Didn't you wonder why I gave in?" Riku asked, his voice in a quiet whisper.  
  
"Not really." Tidus replied. Riku snorted.  
  
"Course not, what was I thinking? You didn't even notice when me, Kairi, and Sora spent days working on the raft, we didn't talk to you guys for weeks, yet you still didn't notice." Riku chuckled again.  
  
"You guys built a raft?!" Tidus yelled shocked. Riku sighed.  
  
"That's beside the point. Back to our conversation, when you went through the door, I expected the door to reject your body and mind and dump you back out the door into the secret place. I never really thought you'd get through to Traverse town with us."  
  
"Y-you tricked me?"  
  
"Didn't work as well as I thought." Riku muttered. "Anyway, it means that you have a part to play. So, and as I said before, nothing is by coincidence, I think Sora was meant to capture Kairi on Ansem's command. Kairi is the one he's after, but you were meant to show us the way."  
  
"Great. So I guess I'm a map, or am I a key?" Tidus yelled sarcastically.  
  
"Er. . . . .Tidus?"  
  
"I've had it! I want to find Kairi and get out of this stupid reality and get back to the island!" Tidus yelled. Without another thought he trudged right through a mirror, a golden framed one.  
  
"Tidus! Wait!" Riku swore and followed through to an area he'd never seen before. It was barren, the ground itself seemed to be made of clouds, but they felt solid and had small green vines sticking out of the floor. The sky was a dark blue, but still gave off a bright light.  
  
"Okay. . . . what'd I do?" Tidus asked looking around him. Riku growled and had to try very hard to keep from slapping Tidus on the head.  
  
"You just got us lost! Now we have to find the keyhole of this realm and get back you. . . . .you. . . . . SOMETHING!" Riku couldn't find the words to express his anger. With those words the silver haired youth stalked away mumbling something. Tidus was about to follow when . . . .  
  
"HELP!" He screamed. Riku spun around and growled out.  
  
"What is it NOW you . . .stupid. . . .prat?" He trailed off. Large vines had wrapped around the blonde's ankles and wrists and had elevated him to about a foot in the air.  
  
"Damnit!" Riku cursed and drew his keyblade, he was about to attack when a vine shot out in front of him and knocked him over. He lost conscious and slumped against the white ground.  
  
"Fine time to take a nap Rik!" Tidus yelled as he struggled against the vines which now wrapped around Riku's wrists and lifted him off the floor.  
  
"Wake up my friend." A voice called out in a humorous way. Tidus turned and found Ansem.  
  
"You! Where's Kairi?! And Sora?!"  
  
"Right there." He pointed to the side of Tidus's head, Tidus looked at that spot out of the corner of his eye just in case Ansem tried something while he wasn't looking, oddly enough, there was Sora and Kairi trapped in mid air by thick green vines just like him. Kairi was hung by her wrists like Riku while Sora looked like he was nailed to a crucifix. Tidus sorely hoped he wasn't.  
  
"Are. . . . .are they dead?"  
  
"And what is dead to you boy? That they can't breath? That they cannot move? Or is dead meaning that they've lost their hearts? Well, the answer to both, is no. Both the boy and girl are very much alive." Ansem replied.  
  
"Prove it." Tidus hissed. Ansem gave a sharp laugh and snapped his fingers, all three figures moved with sighs of life.  
  
"Wha-?" Riku muttered.  
  
"Where am I?" Kairi began.  
  
"Damnit!" Sora hissed. "Curse you Ansem! You slimy little bast-"  
  
"HEY! You got your memory back." Kairi broke in. Sora gave her a stunned look, then asked.  
  
"Got my memory back? What're you talking about Kairi? Since when did I lose my memory?" Sora asked looking at her as if she had lost her mind.  
  
"And what the heck is Tidus doing here?" Sora demanded.  
  
"He came just like I planned him too." Ansem said quietly.  
  
"What?!" All four youths yelled out staring at Ansem. The black robed man sneered.  
  
"It's simple. I never wanted Kairi to begin with. Not this time anyway. The one I've truly wanted, is Tidus." He said staring at the blonde.  
  
"And now I have him."  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Only plot is. 


	9. The spirit in all

Chapter 9  
  
"You're mental!" Tidus yelled out.  
  
"No, I've wanted you all along. I heard Riku telling you about the cross in Kingdom Hearts. You see that's a special cross, every time a new keyblade wielder is selected the cross is drawn blank again. The heart represents the Keyblade Wielder of Truth. That would be Sora." Ansem commented as he gestured to the youth who swore in reply.  
  
"The heartless sign represents the Keyblade Wielder of Destruction." He pointed to Riku.  
  
"The star has seven points. Each point represents a separate princess. The last symbol is for the protector." He finished. Tidus stared.  
  
"The what?!" All four teenagers demanded. Ansem chuckled.  
  
"Simple. Each sign shows itself when the person it represents has been revealed. You think it was by chance that Tidus has that sword? No, the king gave you a special weapon. It's the blade of protection." Ansem said with a tone of finality.  
  
"Protect?! Protect what?!" Tidus demanded. Sora stared at him.  
  
"I . . . . . I think I know the answer to that. The protector of the princesses. Of Kingdom Hearts." Sora said quietly. Tidus stared at him, so did Kairi and Riku.  
  
"But I can't protect anyone! I can't do squat! Kairi had to save my life, I couldn't protect her at all!" The blonde replied.  
  
"No . . .that isn't true. You saved us all that day. That day we found Sora." Riku whispered suddenly realizing something.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Think about it." Riku pushed. "I know you love Kairi-" at this Kairi looked at Tidus with a look of shock. Tidus blushed and tried to deny it.  
  
"Forget lying. It was written all across your face when I saw you look at her." Riku snapped. "I . . . . . I think YOU got rid of the Wyverns, because . . . . . .because you didn't want the heartless to hurt KAIRI!" He yelled out suddenly fitting the pieces together. "That's right! Your love for her pulled your power out of you."  
  
"But . . . ." Tidus whispered in one last feeble attempt of protest. But the logic was working on him.  
  
"It wasn't me." Kairi said quietly. "My power only allows me to open the final door. I couldn't work such a spell as that." She said a small smile on her face. Tidus was gaping.  
  
"I bet you felt drained after that flash of light." Sora muttered. Tidus stared. He HAD felt tired after that. And come to think of it, didn't he hold up his arm as if he were casting a spell just before it had happened?  
  
"So now you understand." Ansem said with a grin.  
  
"One more thing!" Sora demanded. "If you wanted Tidus, why did you kidnap Kairi?!"  
  
"Excellent question. Simple really, if I had wanted you or Riku to come in to this land. It wouldn't have worked. Why? Because to get into the Ethereal realms you have to come of your own free will. It was rather lucky that Tidus had feelings for Kairi. Once I kidnapped her I knew you'd follow in a fit of rage, Tidus coming with you. In the end the only way to get the protector into the Ethereal realms is of his own free will. I could have controlled him like you Sora, but that would take too much energy, energy I don't have since our last fight." Ansem muttered sourly.  
  
"And releasing my control on you wasn't an option. If I had, you would have gotten your memory back and then you would have sought out the others in hopes of warning them. The chance of you finding them was slim, but I wasn't willing to take that chance." He finished and smiled.  
  
"One more question. Why do you want me in the Ethereal realms?" Tidus demanded.  
  
"Simple boy, because only in this realm are you the weakest you can be. I plan to take your heart. So that then the final gate that the king had placed goes down and I can access Kingdom Hearts again."  
  
"New wrapping, same crappy food." Sora hissed. "An entire year Ansem and your motives haven't changed a bit. And how the heck is killing Tidus going to help you destroy the final gate?"  
  
"The energy for that wall is taken from the protector, or more specifically the protector's heart. Give his heart to the heartless, the gate is gone and I'm free to destroy the worlds."  
  
"Bad guy's rule, they always wanna explain their plot in destroying the world." Riku said with a sneer. Ansem laughed.  
  
"Even in the face of death you still remain ironic. It's incredible. But now. It's time to kill you Tidus. Nothing personal. If you have any complaints, tell them to that blasted king, he's the one who made you the protector." Ansem said quietly. With a snap of his fingers a wyvern appeared.  
  
"I do so love these creatures. So frightening to those unknowing." Ansem said with a laugh. Tidus fought against the vines. He suddenly gave a sideways glance at Kairi.  
  
"I hoped forever, that one day you would return my feelings. I had hoped that ever since we met when we were 11. Then I saw you with Sora. I tried to forget about them, knowing that you would either chose Riku or Sora. I remembered who Sora and Riku were, as the protector I kept my memories, but the pain that you would never love me the way I did you made me forget them. My rivals." Tidus smiled lightly.  
  
"You knew then." Riku whispered.  
  
"I think your theory was correct, when I saw you, all the pain of reject and anger that I felt at you came flooding back, it was as if all the memories I had hidden away fitted themselves in my mind. Then when I saw Sora the same thing happened. I played dumb to pretend I had forgotten. I didn't remember being the protector though. I had thought I wouldn't be it anymore."  
  
"Tidus. . .why?" Kairi whispered.  
  
"I failed to protect you at the storm. I failed to protect you from the storm of darkness. I relinquished my position. I gave up all my memories of being what I was. I just hid them away." Kairi was in tears, looking like the world was lost. Sora was looking at the ground. His face in sadness. Riku's however was contorted with hate at Ansem.  
  
"I was hiding from what I had done. I didn't deserve to live. I failed you Kairi. I was determined to make up for it by teaching you how to fight. I guess that's one thing I got right." He gave a tiny laugh. It sounded forced.  
  
"Enough of the sappy good-byes." Ansem said quietly. He snapped his fingers, the wyvern turned into a bolt of blackness and headed straight for Tidus, he turned his head to Kairi and gave one last genuine smile. Kairi ignored the small lines trekking down her face. She moved her lips and said something so quiet that it didn't even make a noise.  
  
"thank you." He whispered back and turned back to the bolt of lightening, a stern face replacing the kind one, it pierced him through the chest and he was free of the vines. He fell head first onto the ground and stayed there, his right arm above his head and he was face down in the clouds. He was still as the heart shaped light vanished.  
  
"Tidus." Sora whispered, agony in his eyes.  
  
"You were a friend." Riku muttered staring at his friend's body. Kairi stayed silent. The words she had said with her mind when she moved her lips still rolling over her tongue, wanting to be said. Those few words that had made him so happy.  
  
*I love you*  
  
Disclaimer: not mine.  
  
Would you hate me if I said that was the end? Well be happy cause it's not. Yes this shall be continued. This is NOT the last chapter. Next one up soon. 


	10. Turning things around

Starlet: Okay, there's a fight scene, in which Sora uses an insult which is pretty low. . . . . . but don't worry, there's no Slash, Yaoi or Shonen-ai in this. (Guy liking guy) So no worries!  
  
Read upper note. Important!!!!  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"Tidus . . . . . ." Kairi whispered staring at her love's limp form. Love? Where had that come from?  
  
'You love him.' That tiny voice whispered. She stared in shock, how could she love Tidus? Didn't she love Sora?  
  
"Ansem! I swear on my life you're going to pay for this!" Sora yelled. Riku growled.  
  
"Forgetting something buddy? We have to get OUT of these vines first!" Ansem laughed at their argument.  
  
"Children, children calm down." The black haired man coaxed out laughing.  
  
"Stay out of this Ansem!" Both teens yelled.  
  
"You know, you've been a thorn in my side ever since we met!" Sora hissed through gritted teeth looking like he was ready to kill.  
  
"Same to you, right now I really wish we had left you to rot in this god forsaken land!" Riku yelled, fury filling his words. Kairi was appalled.  
  
"Stop that you too! This is not the time to fight!" She said in confusion. Why the heck were they fighting like this?  
  
"Well that's too bad for you isn't it dingbat?" Sora retorted with a sneer.  
  
"Oh you are SO lucky that we're tied up, or I would have sliced you in half with my keyblade!"  
  
"Really? Who'd slash who? C'mon Riku. I know you like me." Sora said with a sick laugh. Riku scowled, hate growing in his eyes. Ansem was finding this very interesting.  
  
"You know, I'm actually interested in finding out which one of you is stronger then the other." He commented, a tiny smile on his face. He smiled and snapped his fingers, the vines dropped the two youths onto their feet. Both summoned their keyblades and stood in fighting stance.  
  
"Sora! Riku! Cut it out!" Kairi yelled. Both ignored her. Riku held his left arm out in front of him slightly relaxed, his right arm above his head was tense and holding his black and red keyblade, his face was impassive. Sora was exactly the same in position however, his face was quiet and smug.  
  
"I hope you have a spare body, you're going to need it!" Sora spat. Riku scowled.  
  
"And you need a spare brain. Too bad though that you never had one in the first place!"  
  
"Ready?" Sora taunted. Riku sneered.  
  
"10?" The silver haired youth asked.  
  
"1." Sora began.  
  
"2" Riku counted next.  
  
"3"  
  
"4"  
  
"5"  
  
"10!" Both yelled at once. They sidestepped and flung themselves . . . . . . . at ANSEM?! In a split second Ansem was frozen in shock, the next he was gone. Vanished off to god knows where. Kairi was free of the plant like tendrils and was gasping on the ground.  
  
"Sorry we had to worry you like that Kairi. It was the only way to get free." Sora said quietly as he helped her stand up. Riku was kneeling beside Tidus's body, face in pain. Sora was staring, his face stern.  
  
"Darn it." He sighed. "Tidus, why didn't you stay on the island? You would have been safe there." Sora hissed.  
  
"He wanted to protect me." Kairi told him. Her face in agony. Riku sighed and turned the blonde haired youth over so that he wasn't face first on the ground anymore. Kairi felt small hot pinpricks beneath her eyes. She walked over and dropped to her knees.  
  
"It's not fair." She hissed. "Why did this have to happen?" She slowly placed a quivering hand on his shoulder and squeezed it lightly. Sora was behind the both of them when he noticed something. In a panicked frenzy he yanked both Kairi and Riku's arms so that both of them tumbled away from Tidus's limp form.  
  
"SORA! What the hell-?!" Riku began but was cut off as Sora pointed at something. Looking in that direction both of them saw a small light speck. It was tiny and hovering a few inches above Tidus's head. The speck dropped and then . . . his forehead shined lightly. A small symbol appeared. None of the three could identify it. The light vanished and Tidus was slowly stirring. Kairi's heart leapt.  
  
"TIDUS?!"  
  
The youth did not reply but instead stood up. Grabbing his sword out of the back of his sheath he was stern faced. Eyes hollow. Sora was in shock.  
  
"Who are you?" The brunette asked lightly. Tidus, or rather, Tidus's body turned to face Sora.  
  
"I'm the protector. I am the spirit that resides in this youth." Tidus replied in a hollow voice. (Cheesy isn't it? Don't worry. It gets better.)  
  
"The what?! Sorry, but you're beginning to sound like a person with z graded movie dialogue." Riku replied angrily. Sora stared. He'd seen too much to be surprised by anything anymore. The spirit, or whatever, shrugged and replied.  
  
"In every person represented on the star, each of them has an inner spirit. It is that spirit that lets you hold the position of what you are." Riku stared frowning. Sora was wide eyed and had an eyebrow raised. Kairi was simply at a lost for words. In short, they were completely confused. The spirit sighed.  
  
"In the 7 princesses, the keyblade wielders and in the protector is a dormant spirit. When Sora received the keyblade the spirit of the keyblade wielder was passed on to him. Riku was given one as well. It wasn't Ansem that blinded Riku at first, it was the spirit, who longed for power." Tidus turned to face Riku.  
  
"If your will is strong enough, the spirit will bow to you." Then he turned to Kairi.  
  
"Your spirit comes to you naturally because of your pure heart. It is very much like a contest, the seven purest hearts held in a woman's body are chosen by the spirit." Then, in the following silence, Tidus looked at his sword. Examining the edge he turned it very often letting light bounce off the edge so that he could see any nicks and scratches in the blade, in doing this he gave the others time to think. Sora finally spoke up.  
  
"So how do we stop Ansem?" Riku looked at him. So did Kairi and Tidus's spirit or whatever. Tidus or something grinned.  
  
"We head to Kingdom Hearts." Sora blanched.  
  
"NO WAY!! THERE IS NO WAY WE'RE GOING THERE!!" Sora yelled. Everyone looked at him. Sora sighed.  
  
"What if someone gets stuck there, like last time?" He asked quietly. Kairi stole a glance at Riku who had become paler then normal. Tidus shrugged.  
  
"That's a chance we have to take." He said calmly. Riku stared.  
  
"First off, what's your name? Calling you Tidus doesn't seem to be right." The spirit looked at Riku's eyes to see what he was thinking. Nothing. Tidus sighed.  
  
"You may call me what you wish. If you seek a name it's Coral." He said calmly and walked off. Sora swore vividly, then stomped off. Riku followed in tow. Kairi stared at the trio. Then sighed and ran off after them.  
  
~~~  
  
"Sora. I ask that you open the key hole." Coral said calmly. Sora walked up. Kairi stared.  
  
"Why can't Riku do it?" She asked out of curiosity. Riku replied  
  
"If the keyhole hasn't been sealed then Sora has to do it. He can seal the world and still open a passage for us in one turn. It's simpler." Coral said calmly. Kairi sighed, so much that she didn't know. It was annoying.  
  
~~~  
  
"Which door?" Kairi asked looking around her. Riku shrugged.  
  
"I don't know, there are over a thousand worlds, how are we supposed to find one?" Riku asked. Sora sighed.  
  
"Oh boy . . . How am I supposed to know?" Riku sighed, and looked around the room. He glared at Coral.  
  
"Don't you know where Ansem went?!" Coral shrugged.  
  
"I have no idea." Riku rolled his eyes.  
  
"A big help you are." He muttered. Kairi didn't comment, she was too busy looking at a mirror in the wall.  
  
"Did that just flicker?" She asked pointing at it. Sora looked to where she was pointing, it was a mirror outlined in a rainbow silver. He sweatdropped.  
  
"Well that's obvious." He muttered, Riku smiled while sweatdropping as well.  
  
"I guess." Kairi walked up, she pocked her fingers through, then drew them out. Her fingers were covered in a glittering silver which dripped off her fingers. It dropped to the ground and formed a silver puddle. She stared at it for a second, then turned to the others, Riku came up next to her and kneeled down next to the puddle staring at it intently.  
  
"What the-?" Suddenly he stopped talking.  
  
"Riku?" Sora asked. Riku stood up and summoned his keyblade. Sora backed up hurriedly, Kairi gaped. Riku turned and smiled, his eyes were a gleaming silver. He lunged at Sora who blocked, but the blow sent him flying back five feet, he almost went through another mirror.  
  
"RIKU!" Kairi yelled. The white haired youth leapt for Sora, sword raised, he would have hit her friend too, if Coral hadn't intervened. He swept in smoothly as butter, when their swords met, a burst of light flared, when it cleared, Riku was on the ground, Coral was holding his sword lazily. He looked at Kairi who gaped.  
  
"The substance you touched was Mythrite." Sora looked at him while standing up.  
  
"Don't you mean Mythril?"  
  
"No, Mythrite is more of a mental substance rather then physical. They can hypnotize a human to do whatever they want."  
  
"They want?! Are you saying they're alive?!" Sora demanded. Coral nodded.  
  
"The oldest ones have interesting personalities." He said with sly grin. Riku interrupted this talk with a swipe of his keyblade. Kairi growled, all her patience gone. She walked up to the white haired boy and . . .  
  
SMACK!!!  
  
She slapped him on the face, he stumbled back and glared.  
  
"OW!! Kairi?! What the hell was that for?!" He demanded. Sora grinned.  
  
"Well it got you back and I shouldn't complain but . . . . . . . . . . OUCH!!" He yelled and laughed. Coral sighed.  
  
"Come along kiddies." He muttered and was about to walk into the mirror when a yelp sounded. Riku, Coral and Kairi spun around. Sora was engulfed by shadows.  
  
"The hell is going on?!" Coral yelled, Kairi glanced at him,  
  
'That's Tidus's favorite line . . . . . .'  
  
"What is this thing?!" Sora yelled, he slashed with his keyblade, nothing. Riku ran up, grabbing Sora's hand he pulled.  
  
"Sora!" The brunette grunted.  
  
"Ansem, damn it! He's trying to kill me!!" Sora yelled out. Riku swore.  
  
"Ya think?!" A small spark flared in the air above Riku, no one saw it. It pelted down, straight at Sora and Riku's joined hands. The spark hit, their hands fell apart.  
  
"Sora!!" Riku got pelted backwards and landed on his rear, Sora however, was plunged into darkness. Coral was staring, his eyes showed shock.  
  
"No . . . ." He slammed his fist on a wall. "DAMNIT!!! Why can't I do anything right?!" Riku stood up slowly. "Why couldn't I protect like I'm supposed to?! DAMNIT!! Damn it all!!" A soft voice laughed through the room.  
  
"Protector, you're far to stressed. I'll relieve you of that." Ansem's voice echoed through the room, in a split second Coral was frozen, then a rippled went through the room, like a fierce wind, then all was still, including Coral who lay face first down on the ground.  
  
Disclaimer: I NEED HELP!!! I'VE GOT WRITERS BLOCK FOR THIS STORY!! Oh, these characters do not belong to me. Heh heh . . . . . . ^_^* 


	11. Merged

Chapter 11  
  
"Coral!!" Kairi dropped to her knees beside him.  
  
"I'm okay. . . . I'm okay!" He grunted out. Standing up, Coral held a hand to his head. Looking around he gaped.  
  
"Uh, how did we get here?" He mumbled. Kairi gulped.  
  
"You don't remember? I mean, c'mon Coral, don't tell me you have amnesia." He looked at her funnily.  
  
"Coral? Kairi, why are you calling me a sea plant? It's Tidus, remember? Good old blockhead of a moron? Wait, why did I call myself that?" Riku took a shaky step forward. He began to poke Tidus in the shoulder, then his head, and then finally his arm.  
  
"You're real!!" He finally concluded. Tidus growled.  
  
"Well of COURSE I'm real!! The hell is going on?!" He demanded. Kairi hugged him.  
  
"You ARE real!! YAY!! I'm so glad!"  
  
"Uhhhhh . . . . . . . . thanks?" Riku was somewhat skeptical.  
  
"Okay, so we got Tidus back, but where's Coral?"  
  
"Who the *beep* Is CORAL?!" Tidus yelled.  
  
"Heh, heh, loud little biggit aren't you?" Riku swirled around.  
  
"Did you just call me a biggit?!" Tidus demanded, that is, before he got a good look at the youth. He gulped. The boy had short brown hair and golden amber eyes. He was lean, and a bit short for his age, his clothes were a pair of decorated black jeans, covered in chains and patches. His shirt was white with blue sleeves. On his head was a black cap. He grinned.  
  
"Coral?" Kairi whispered. He nodded.  
  
"Yeah, this was what I originally looked like, except that when I died, I got put into the bodies of other protectors. So, I lost my good looks, what a shame." He was outlined by gold and slightly transparent. (Sound familiar? Wink, wink.) A sword sheath was on his back, and held a sword with a hilt wrapped in black leather, the sword was long, narrow and almost bigger then Coral, somehow, he looked more goofy then Tidus. He laughed.  
  
"I don't look like the cool guy I was a few minutes ago neh? Oh well. Don't underestimate me based on looks."  
  
"But what happened? What did Ansem do?" Riku demanded. Tidus was at a loss for words.  
  
"Well, simply, he did an exorcism trick, trying to send me off to the great beyond and all. What he didn't count on, was the fact that Tidus was still alive, therefore, so was I. Actually, his little trick opened a rift between this world and the dead lands, letting Tidus come back." Kairi was stupefied.  
  
"I thought Tidus had just lost his heart." Coral shook his head.  
  
"You see, losing your heart means you lose your soul to darkness, a soul is a person's life. Without it, they are nothing more then drooling shells." Kairi nodded, still a little confused, but more understanding of the situation. Coral turned to Tidus who gulped.  
  
"So you are my carrier. Well, I can't stay in physical form for much longer, therefore I will have to reside in your body Tidus." Tidus backed away.  
  
"What do you mean?" He croaked. Coral shook his head.  
  
"Nevermind, you'll get the point soon enough." Suddenly Coral vanished into a shower of gold, those sparks shot towards Tidus in jolt, he stiffened as they merged with his skin, turning it a glowing white for a moment, then his skin turned back to normal, he however, felt like he'd just been supercharged.  
  
"Tidus? How do you feel?"  
  
"Strong." Tidus's voice echoed with an echo of a second voice that wasn't his. He cleared his throat.  
  
"What happened?" Kairi asked Riku.  
  
"Coral must've merged with Tidus, the result, is a supercharged, and super pissed Tidus." Kairi stared.  
  
"Pissed? Why would he be-?"  
  
"I'm going to kill Ansem.. That bastard is going to burn." Tidus growled out. Kairi stopped.  
  
"Nevermind." (A/N: Right now, my imagination has slipped and for some reason, I can't get this picture of Tidus in Hulk mode out of my mind. ARGH!!)  
  
"How come Tidus is so powerful now?" Riku wanted to know.  
  
"Simple, Tidus acknowledges my existence, and lets me reside in him knowingly, therefore, our powers are joined." A second voice sounded from the air. Riku jumped. The voice chuckled.  
  
"Well, enough is enough let's get going." The voice said and vanished. Tidus felt normal again.  
  
"That was quick." He murmured. Riku sighed, then looked at Kairi.  
  
"I have this sinking feeling that things are going to get a whole lot more complicated." Tidus nodded.  
  
"And we have to find out why Ansem took Sora." Riku and Kairi both looked at him awed.  
  
"What?!" He demanded arrogantly.  
  
"How did you know Ansem took Sora?!" Silence. Tidus took a deep breath, and stared at them calmly.  
  
"I-I think, and yes Riku, I think." He said upon seeing the platinum haired teen open his mouth, Riku shut his mouth and grinned. "I think that when Coral, or whoever, merged with me, or whatever, I got his memories, and boy, let me tell you . . . they are not pleasant." He winced slightly and started gasping for air. Riku eyed him carefully while Kairi stepped up to him.  
  
"Tidus? Are you okay?" He carefully pushed her away.  
  
"Y-yeah, I'll be fine. Let's go eh? We're wasting time." He turned and stood straight, Kairi and Riku looked after him worriedly.  
  
"So!" He said cheerfully, as if the last few seconds hadn't happened at all. "Which door way Rikky?" Riku stopped dead cold and glared.  
  
"What did you call me?" Tidus turned his head to look over his shoulder and smiled.  
  
"Rikky, problem?" Riku glared, then shook his head defeated and laughed. Kairi caught her breath in that moment, accented by the light that seemed to come from the ceiling, Tidus seemed different somehow, like when someone searches for that purpose in their life, and they just find that thing, those people give off a resounding glow. Somehow, Tidus seemed to have found that thing, and he was glowing. His blonde hair seemed golden, but real, his eyes perfectly clear, yet unending, his grin perfectly cheerful, and seemed to say 'everything will be alright, just leave it to me.' She didn't know how to describe it, he made her feel . . . . protected. That was the word, he made her feel safe, like the protector in him should. Then, it was there that Kairi and Riku knew, Tidus had fulfilled his goal in life, he had become what he was meant to be, the protector. Then she looked at Riku, what if he was to find his true spirit? His spirit was meant to cause destruction, could it possibly do good? And . . . . . . and what would happen if he couldn't?  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, sorry that chapter was so short, working on next now! 


	12. The heir named Kai

Sorry, mid terms are right around the corner, this Monday in fact! Less then 2 days away, so, my writing is kind of on a halt. By the way, this is going to give a hint to a new story I'm trying to type out. About Sora's past, no more hints!  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Tidus scratched his head.  
  
"Okay, NOW where do we go?" He demanded. Riku and Kairi sighed.  
  
"Admit it Tidus, you're lost." Riku said dully.  
  
"I am NOT lost! I just don't know where we are, that's all!" He chuckled. Riku shook his head, they had gotten agitated, and walked through a random mirror, now they were located in some odd . . . . castle place. Standing in a large hallway, the walls were lined with marble blocks that held some glowing crystals on the top of them. Tidus scowled.  
  
"This place is getting to me." Without thinking he walked up to the crystal.  
  
"I mean, what is this supposed to be?" He read the writing engraved into the stone.  
  
'Here lies the memory of Kai. 4 year old brother to Sarah Mosuke and son to John and Sally Mosuke. Kidnapped over 12 years ago.' Tidus stared. Then he stumbled back.  
  
"What is this?! A graveyard?!" He demanded. Kairi shook her head.  
  
"I don't think so . . . . hey . . . . why is that crystal suddenly glowing?" Riku stared, the crystal on the block which Tidus had been reading just a moment ago, was now shining a bright blue. Tidus walked up. Then touched the crystal softly, a small vision sprung up from the crystal.  
  
~ Vision ~  
  
"Saora!" The child cried, laughing happily. Light golden wisps of wavy hair fell over his face as his ran up to the girl, bright blue eyes shone with mischief and a silver necklace much to large for him dangled inside his shirt. The girl bent forward, light brown hair fell over her shoulder in a thick braid. Her deep green eyes sparkling as she picked him up.  
  
"Saora! Saora!" The child cried out as he reached her and laughed. She bent to pick him up.  
  
"It's Sarah, Kai." She smiled. "So, what do you want to do today?" Kai laughed.  
  
"I want to go play with the dogs!!" He whooped out. Sarah Mosuke laughed.  
  
"Okay Kai. Let's go play with the dogs in the palace kennel."  
  
~ End ~  
  
The vision blanked out, and formed a new one, much like a window, small boxes shaped like buttons appeared.  
  
'End playback'  
  
'Replay'  
  
'Next vision'  
  
Tidus stared at it.  
  
"What is this?! A movie clip?!" He demanded. Kairi stepped up.  
  
"He looks familiar . ." She stared a bit, then pushed on the button which read 'Next vision'  
  
~ Vision ~  
  
The child named Kai ran on, he was a little taller now, and his hair had started to become streaked with brown.  
  
"Master Kai! Slow down!" A voice called. The child obeyed, thought a little grudgingly. Turning, he smiled at the new comer, long and thins strands of silky raven hair fell over his shoulders, his eyes were a gentle crimson, and his black clothed body was covered with a red cloak.  
  
"Master Kai, you shouldn't run off like that." The man scolded gently.  
  
"C'mon Vincy! It's fun!" The man sighed.  
  
"Master Kai, my name is Vincent." Kai laughed.  
  
"Vincy! Vincy! Vincy!!" Vincent Valentine sighed.  
  
"Master Kai, you know very well that you shouldn't run off! As heir to the kingdom, it could put you in great danger."  
  
"Heir?" Kai murmured slightly confused. Vincent nodded.  
  
"Yes, you are the heir to the throne of this land. One day, you will rule all that you see." Vincent murmured to him in a gentle tone. Kai stared.  
  
"I'll . . . I'll be a ruler? Like Uncle Mickey?" Vincent nodded.  
  
"And it's my job to protect you, as I am your guardian." Kai stared.  
  
"Then . . . . . . . then I'll do my best to be a good ruler!" Kai declared smiling. Vincent rested a hand on Kai's head and smiled.  
  
"I know you will."  
  
~ End ~  
  
The screen reformed again, with more options then before.  
  
'End Playback'  
  
'Replay'  
  
'First vision'  
  
'Last vision'  
  
Riku touched 'Last vision'  
  
~ Vision ~  
  
There was no sun, or grassy fields this time, they were in the castle, and there was a large storm, streaks of white flashed across the sky.  
  
"Saora! I'm scared!!" Kai cried as he clutched his sister's dress. Vincent stood in front of them.  
  
"I do not like this. This storm is unnatural." He murmured. Sarah clutched her brother to her tightly.  
  
"It's okay Kai, everything will be alright." Vincent nodded.  
  
"There's nothing to be scared of, why don't we go inside and try that new game Master Kai?" he offered. Kai sniffled a bit, but nodded. They opened the oak doors behind them and stepped inside. Kai ran in first.  
  
"I want to be the knight!" He cried out laughing, he vanished into the next room. Sarah smiled and was about to follow when a shriek sounded, one of great fear.  
  
"Kai!!" Sarah screamed and dashed after him.  
  
"Master!" Vincent shouted as he too ran into the room. As they entered the room, Kai was there, on the ground and bleeding, not from a fall, but from a cut.  
  
"Kai?! KAI! Please, wake up!" His sister sobbed as she kneeled by him. Vincent by her side.  
  
"Master Kai . . ." A great wind blew through the room, knocking the both of them over and turning out all the lights. The last thing to be seen, was a dark figure jumping out the suddenly open window . . . . and vanishing. When the lights returned, shouting could be heard, and the doors suddenly slammed open, only to the horror of finding Sarah on the ground, and Vincent leaning against the wall unconscious.  
  
~ End ~  
  
'End Playback'  
  
'Replay'  
  
'First vision'  
  
'Second vision'  
  
Riku was silent. Kairi was shocked, and Tidus was in awe.  
  
"S-so, this heir, he vanished? Without a trace?!"  
  
"That is correct." A calm voice declared suddenly. The three turned while drawing their weapons, and froze upon seeing the figure in the doorway. He held his hands up and said carefully.  
  
"It's alright. I won't hurt you, you can keep your weapons up if you wish." He declared.  
  
" . . . . . . . . It's Vincent right?" Kairi asked softly. He nodded.  
  
"Vincent Valentine. The man who failed to protect Master Kai." He said sadly. "And who are you? What are you doing in this castle?" Riku stepped forward.  
  
"I'm Riku, that's Kairi, and the moron with the sheath in his hand is Tidus." Tidus glared, then suddenly realized, that instead of grabbing his sword, he had grabbed the sheath, he flushed heavily. Grabbing his sword he resumed his glare at Vincent.  
  
"A pleasure."  
  
"What was that thing?" Kairi asked carefully. He looked her in the eye, and she shivered, there was no end to his eyes, they were boundless.  
  
"That crystal is a memory crystal, it records memories and can even store them for long periods of time." Kairi stared.  
  
"So then, that was all a-?"  
  
"Memory? Yes." Riku scowled.  
  
"Did you ever catch the man who did this?" Vincent stared, then his face hardened.  
  
"We only saw him once, and he admitted to the crime. He said his name was Ansem."  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, I do not own anything but plot. Kai, Sarah and that's it I think. 


	13. The only option left

Bit of AU in here. Sorry, but I just had to have Vincent make that remark! About his family and stuff, anywho, ON WITH THE STORY! And if you haven't played FF6, then you're a lost cause. Joking, but that game is AWESOME!!  
  
Chapter 13  
  
"ANSEM??" All three shouted out in shock. Vincent nodded.  
  
"If my opinion were asked, I would say he's a lunatic." Tidus nodded.  
  
"You got that right." Suddenly Tidus found Vincent in front of him, leering at his forehead, he backed away.  
  
"What the-?!" Vincent held a hand over Tidus's forehead, and a tiny symbol appeared, like the one when they had first met Coral.  
  
"You are the protector. I had thought your sword looked familiar." Vincent murmured softly. Then he turned to Riku.  
  
"Aw, Master Riku. Now I understand why King Mickey places such great faith in you." He shifted to face Kairi next.  
  
"Princess of Hollow Bastion as well as Destiny Islands. An honor indeed." He gave a formal bow. Kairi flushed.  
  
"So, who are you?" Tidus asked.  
  
"My name is Vincent Valentine, I come not from this world, but from Lady Kairi's. Hollow Bastion, perhaps you have heard of my brother? Cloud Strife?" Riku shook his head.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Unfortunate, or perhaps you are lucky. Cloud is not the most sociable of people, nor is my best friend Leon."  
  
"That name I know!" Kairi declared. "He along with Yuffie and Aeris taught me all about magic!" Vincent stared.  
  
"Y-you know . . . . you know Yuffie? How is she?" He asked, but he was obviously a bit shaken. Riku's eyes narrowed a bit.  
  
"She was fine the last time I saw her." Kairi replied to him, this seemed to soothe Vincent's nerves a bit.  
  
"Well, that's good. Now, come with me and I shall see to it that you are cared for. From the looks of things, you have been through a great conflict." Vincent declared and walked out of the hall. After a moment's hesitation, Riku, Kairi, and Tidus followed wearily.  
  
~~~  
  
"My lord and lady, allow me to present, the Keyblade Wielder of Destruction, the Princess of Hollow Bastion as well as Destiny Islands, and the Protector of Hearts." Vincent called out in the grand hall, then stepped off to the side. Mickey stood and walked down, reaching Riku, he shook his friend's hand vigorously.  
  
"Nice to see you again Riku." Mickey said cheerfully.  
  
"Yes, quite a pleasure." Minnie declared. Daisy smiled.  
  
"We're honored by your-"  
  
"You're majesty! There's something you have to see!!" A strange voice proclaimed as the doors to the great hall banged open. Riku turned, and paled when he saw who it was. Kairi's eyes widened. Tidus just stared.  
  
"Donald?" Riku whispered. The duck turned.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"DONALD!" Kairi launched herself at him and hugged him around the neck.  
  
"I'm so glad to see you Donald!! It's been so long!" She cried out and started laughing.  
  
"Uh . . . . you're majesty . . . ya might want to be gettin to that there uh . . . . jewel thing. Hyuck!" Another voice called out. Riku chuckled.  
  
"Figures." Smiling, he walked up to Goofy and held a hand out. "Great to see you again." Riku said while chuckling. Goofy smiled and took the hand.  
  
"Well nice to see you too, that is . . . if I've ever seen ya before stranger!" He said cheerfully. Riku's smile dropped like a rock.  
  
"What?" He murmured in disbelief.  
  
"Excuse me lady, but could you please remove yourself?" Donald requested somewhat irritated. Kairi drew back, slightly shocked.  
  
"Donald? Don't you remember me? From Hollow Bastion! Remember? It's me, Kairi!"  
  
"Goofy, don't you remember? You went to my side one time! We even stood side by side once! Don't tell me you've forgotten! Please say you remember something, even the bad stuff!" Riku pleaded. Goofy scratched his head.  
  
"Don't know if I've ever seen ya before. What's your name?" Riku stared.  
  
"It's Riku, Riku Safeguard!"  
  
"And don't you remember me Donald? Kairi Chaste!" Donald shook his head.  
  
"No I don't. Your majesty! Someone has just delivered this!" Donald cried and held up a crystal, or more specific, a memory crystal. Riku and the others all stared at it.  
  
"What is that?" Mickey asked softly walking up to it, he carefully took it into his hands. His eyes suddenly widened as it began to glow a bright reddish pink.  
  
~ Vision ~  
  
The boy woke up. He had been lying on a sandy beach, next to the pounding waves slapping against the shore. He groaned slightly and looked around, then panicked. Who was he? He had no memory, he only remembered one name. A couple walked up to him.  
  
"Hello, are you lost? Or are you hurt?" A woman asked. The boy shook his head.  
  
"I . . . . I don't know where I am." He mumbled. The woman smiled.  
  
"Well you're on the Destiny Islands silly!" The boy looked up.  
  
"What's your name?" The woman's husband asked softly. The boy teared up.  
  
"I don't know." Suddenly, his head perked up.  
  
"I do remember one name!" He cried out suddenly. The couple smiled.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Well . . . it's Saora." The woman smiled.  
  
"Then that must be your name. Alright then. Sora it is."  
  
And the boy, the boy took the woman's hand, and followed her down the beach. That boy, that boy was Kai.  
  
~ End ~  
  
Mickey nearly dropped the crystal.  
  
"Master Kai?!" Vincent cried out, Donald gaped, horrified, Minnie was stricken and Goofy was simply silent, at a loss for something to say.  
  
"I knew he looked familiar . . ." Kairi whispered, she shocked.  
  
"Sora . . . . . Sora is Kai. Sora is the heir to this kingdom." Riku murmured. Tidus scowled.  
  
"So now what?! We're dealing with a prince now?! Good gravy!!"  
  
~~~  
  
Leon walked out of the door to the library and continued up the steps. In his hand he held a sheaf of papers.  
  
"I know Cid likes to be alone, but even he can do his own errands." The soldier muttered out in distaste.  
  
"Leon." A voice said softly. "Have you felt anything strange in the past hour?" the voice demanded coldly. Leon turned, and upon seeing who it was, raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Why should I care Sephiroth?" The SOLDIER commander had been leaning on the wall, arms folded, now he stood straight with a scowl.  
  
"He's back." Leon stiffened, he didn't have to ask who 'he' was.  
  
"How?" He growled.  
  
"I don't know, but he has someone with him. A boy, with spiky brown hair. I sensed an aura around the child, probably one of the star chosen." Sephiroth replied with a careless shrug. Leon's skin paled considerably.  
  
'A boy . . . . spiky brown hair . . . it couldn't be!' Leon abandoned his thoughts and flew down the hallway while dropping the papers.  
  
"Yuffie! Aeris! Cloud!" The door slammed behind him. Sephiroth sneered, then turned, he had a bone to pick with Ansem anyway. As he walked out of the room, his hands jammed into his pockets, a soft raven feather fell to the floor behind him.  
  
~~~  
  
"Why don't you remember us?" Riku demanded crossly. Mickey sighed, and gestured for them to come over, which the three promptly did.  
  
"We don't know what happened, but one day, a servant found them outside in a heap. I tell you, they looked like they just walked through a thrasher. When they woke up, they didn't remember anything about you Riku, or the princesses, or even Sora." The king explained. Kairi shook her head.  
  
"It doesn't make sense . ."  
  
"Of course it does." Tidus snapped irritably. Kairi and Riku stared at him. "Ansem remember?" He said in a disgusted voice. Riku raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Tidus-?"  
  
"Not quite, I've taken control for the moment." Tidus replied.  
  
"Taken control?" Kairi echoed. Tidus scowled and heaved a large sigh.  
  
"In other words, *I*, CORAL, now am in control of Tidus for the moment. Now I'll make this quick, obviously, Sora was doing whatever he does, when Ansem came along and attacked him and his friends, he captured Sora, and sent Donald with what's-his-name back here. Without, might I add, memory so that they wouldn't try to interfere with his plan by trying to rescue him." Riku nodded.  
  
"Makes perfect sense to me." Coral nodded, then blinked once, and Tidus was back.  
  
"I never knew he could do that." Tidus murmured in awe. Kairi shook her head.  
  
"Okay then, we need to get to wherever Sora might be, but that could take us forever! There's far too many worlds to search!" Mickey smiled.  
  
"Actually, there might be someone who can solve your problem. Mind you, it will take you a small amount of time to get there."  
  
"It's the best, and only might I add, plan we've got." Tidus said dully. "So I say let's get on with it!" Mickey nodded.  
  
"Alright."  
  
~~~  
  
Donald and Goofy were piloting, the trio was in the back, and Vincent had come along, though he wouldn't say why, everyone knew it was to redeem his failure a few years back. In short, they were riding in a ship to an anonymous place. Vincent was silent and staring out the window. Goofy kept commenting on meteors with remarks like'  
  
'Look at that purple rock!'  
  
'Wow, that one sure is big!'  
  
'Look at the pretty stars!'  
  
Both Riku and Tidus wanted to punch him, Donald didn't look too happy either. Kairi kept rubbing her thumb along her staff.  
  
'I wonder if this will help to save Sora, or Kai. And if we do, we have to tell him who he really is, but then what? Will he come back with us to Destiny Islands? Or will he go back to the Disney Castle to become the heir?'  
  
"Hey Vincent." Tidus suddenly called out. The man turned his head in slight surprise to look at Tidus.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What happened to Sora's sister? Sarah?" Vincent's eyes clouded over and he looked down. Turning away, he murmured;  
  
"She was killed in the attack." Tidus paled, then looked at his shoes.  
  
"Sorry." He mumbled.  
  
~~~  
  
"So, you've come to rescue the brat." Ansem sneered as he looked at the team of people blocking his way. It consisted of Leon, Yuffie, Aeris, Cloud, and even Sephiroth.  
  
"Give him to us Ansem." Leon ordered gesturing to Sora who lay face up on the ground, unconscious.  
  
"Why should I?" Ansem asked with another smirk.  
  
"He's innocent!" Yuffie screamed. "Give him back!"  
  
"Innocent?" Ansem suddenly snarled. "Would an innocent child have done THIS??" He shrieked while running a finger down one of his many scars.  
  
"To protect the worlds? Yes." Aeris shouted out in fury.  
  
"You know you can't win." Cloud said calmly. "Give him to us now, and you may leave unharmed."  
  
"No. Arise . ." Ansem suddenly hissed, shadows fell off the walls and onto the floor in puddles, then rising to form towering heartless. Ansem smiled, then hissed two words.  
  
"Devour them." The creatures lunged, forcing the 4 of them back. Sephiroth simply stayed off to the side, waiting for his opportune moment. While the 4 of them battled it out, Ansem turned to Sora and a smirk replaced his scarred face.  
  
"And now . ." He held up a sword and bared his teeth in a feral grin. "Die!" Leon heard the cry and turned to Sora, stunned.  
  
"SORA!!"  
  
~~~  
  
"This is who?" Tidus asked sweatdropping.  
  
"You're trusting this, to the hands of a thief?" Riku muttered out.  
  
"Hey! It's TREASURE HUNTER! Get it right or I'll rip out your lungs." Lock said irritably.  
  
"Lock, be nice. You can't blame them for being skeptical." Edgar said carefully, then he proceeded to check out Kairi who glared.  
  
"Don't mind Edgar, he's a womanizer. I'm Terra. And you are?" A green haired female asked while giving them a tiny smile. Kairi smiled back.  
  
"I'm Kairi, that's Riku, and that's-"  
  
"Coral back. I'm telling you now woman, what are you?" Coral growled at Terra.  
  
"Watch it." Sabin snarled at him. Coral remained unmoved. Terra sighed.  
  
"I used to be half Esper. My mother was human, but my father . . . was an Esper. However, they were both killed by the Empire and I was kidnapped by the general." She said in a tiny voice. Coral observed her, then nodded.  
  
"Alright then." And he vanished. Tidus scowled.  
  
"Will the damn guy give me some WARNING when he does that?!" Terra shook her head.  
  
"You're looking for a boy?"  
  
"Yes, we don't know where he is though."  
  
"Do you have anything that belongs to him?" Terra asked softly. Riku stared at Kairi, who stared at Tidus.  
  
"I'll take that as a 'no'." Lock said with a smirk. Terra sighed.  
  
"That makes this slightly more difficult. Okay, which one of you is closet to him?" Instantly both Riku and Tidus pushed Kairi forward. She glared.  
  
"Huh?! Why ME??"  
  
"One, you actually remember this guy." Tidus said happily.  
  
"And two, you didn't betray him by going to the dark side." Riku continued. Kairi rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yay for me." She turned to Terra and gulped. "Okay." Terra smiled gently.  
  
"Don't worry, now just relax." She stepped up and placed a hand on Kairi's forehead gently. "Celes?" She whispered softly, a woman with blonde hair stepped out and drew her sword, she stood in the center of a 6 pointed star painted on the ground and held the sword above her.  
  
"Ready." She replied. Terra took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her fingers started to glow a bit.  
  
"Bright . . . . his heart is very strong." Terra whispered, Celes repeated these words. "He's very caring, and protective." Once more Celes repeated these words. "His aura is pure, free of darkness, he only feels righteous anger." Then Terra slightly frowned. "He has a hidden secret . . . . it pains him . . . . though this secret is buried so deep, that even he know not of it." Celes relayed those final words, when her sword started glowing. Suddenly concentrated wisps of fog formed at the tips of the star.  
  
"We know who you seek." A voice whispered, it was female.  
  
"He was with us once. Was it a long time ago, or recent, we know not." Another figure murmured, male this time.  
  
"He lies within a place of great darkness. Strong hearts fight for his safety. Among them is an individual. He has long brown hair. And his friends call him storm."  
  
"Storm?" Kairi asked curiously.  
  
"Another word for storm. Like a child's cry . . . or a yell."  
  
"Squall?"  
  
"That's it." A whisper sounded.  
  
"Is the name of the place mentioned?" Riku broke in. The figures were silent for a moment.  
  
"It . . . . it's the place where I died." A voice whispered softly, a new wisp formed, and the voice was that of a child.  
  
"Died?" The form nodded.  
  
"Yes, a man . . . or a woman, my memories do not serve, stole my heart, and the darkness in my soul grew. Till I was filled with nothing but the desire to destroy. To seek revenge. And you . . ." He said to Riku. "You are my bonded." He said softly, suddenly the wisp took form and stepped off of the star, long raven hair fell down his shoulders in a curtain of black silk. His tall and lean body was dressed in black jeans, a deep blue shirt and a white one over that. He wore gloves on his hands and had a silver chain hanging from his belt.  
  
"Hello Riku. Wielder of destruction." Riku nodded.  
  
"You must be the spirit of destruction." The man smirked.  
  
"Indeed." Tidus suddenly turned to the figure and scowled.  
  
"Trey." He scowled.  
  
"Ah, Coral. How are you?" Trey asked laughing. "Still angry about the last time we met?"  
  
"Well of course! You KILLED me!" Coral screamed. Trey shook his head.  
  
"Maybe one day, you'll discover the truth." He turned back to Riku.  
  
"I know where your friend is. It was once called Gaia, now I believe all that's left is that castle. Hollow-"  
  
"Bastion." Riku finished. "Figures." Trey nodded.  
  
"Are you ready to merge?" Riku shrugged.  
  
"I'm guessing I don't have a choice."  
  
"You'd be correct in that assumption." And with that, Trey's form vanished in a whirlwind of black streaks, they were sucked into Riku's body like a vortex.  
  
"Riku!" Kairi called out, then, it settled, and all that was left was Riku who was smiling, his eyes had taken on a reddened edge.  
  
"Don't worry Kairi, this guy isn't controlling anyone." Riku said in a smile.  
  
"Let's go." He turned around and walked out. Coral followed with a sour expression. Kairi turned to the others and bowed.  
  
"Thank you for your help!" She said quickly, then followed the others out the door.  
  
"Annoying . . ." Kairi grumbled as she chased after her friends.  
  
Disclaimer: Own Coral and Trey, as well as Kai, Sarah and that's it . . . I think. The rest belong to Squaresoft and Disney. HA! A FULL disclaimer! HAHA!!  
  
Lily: You scare me.  
  
Shui: No shit Sherlock.  
  
Lily: Keep digging Watson!  
  
Akkiko: STOP WITH THE STUPID LINES!! 


	14. Hidden pasts

Chapter 14

- Flashback -

"Trey? What're you doing?"

"Forgive me." Trey hissed and drew his keyblade. Coral drew back, as did Magoto and Satsuka.

"What-?!" Satsuka cried as Trey leapt at him, Satsuka barely had time to draw his own keyblade as Trey struck.

"Trey!" Magoto cried out in shock as he attacked viciously.

'This is the only way.' Trey thought with pain. That was when Coral stepped in, with his own sword, he fended off Trey's attacked.

"Stop it!" He cried. "We're allies! How can you-?!"

"For the good of all worlds, I must kill us all!!" Trey cried and bore down with his power, the power of darkness. It appeared like a wellspring beneath Coral, grabbing at him. He cried out as one dark tendril lashed forward and pierced his leg.

"I . . . won't let you WIN!" Coral snapped in defiance.

"There is no winning side to this. We must all lose to win." Trey said calmly, and closed his eyes, the others thought if to say a chant, in truth, it was to stop tears from leaking.

"Goodbye." He hissed, and gave a final slash. Cutting Coral across the chest, he fell into the darkness. Then Trey turned to Satsuka and Magoto, both summoned their weapons.

"Heartless!!" Satsuka screamed in fury. "You were one of them all along!!" He cried. Magoto glared, hatred burned in her eyes.

"I will NEVER forgive you!!"

"May the light purge us from your hell." Satsuka whispered. "And may Tarn have mercy on your soul." He hissed, before leaping into to attack, Trey fended it off with difficulty, on the battle raged, neither side seeming to win.

'I must win, to save them . . . and the worlds.' Trey thought softly. He leapt away from Satsuka and swung his keyblade till the point faced his opponent.

"Final Darkness." He whispered. Satsuka's eyes widened. Yet before he could do anything, black lightening flashed, and struck him, he fell back, Magoto barely had a chance to cry his name before she too was killed. The tears flowed freely on his face now.

"Forgive me. But it was all that could be done." He murmured, hoarse voiced, then, the lightening struck him too.

- End -

Trey blinked the memories away in his new body. He and the Riku boy were one now, but he chose to keep the information of those days locked and hidden. No need for both of them to suffer. They were almost there, to the place called Hollow Bastion. He could feel it in his bones, Coral still hated him, and who could blame him? The last time they had met . . . no. It hurt too much to think about that. He spared a glance at the Kairi girl and felt his heart lurch. Magoto's descendant. She would hate him too.

'Magoto . . .'

---

KLANG!

Metal upon metal struck as Ansem was forced back.

"What?!" He demanded as Sora grunted.

"Nice try Ansem." He hissed. Ansem scowled.

"A second spirit must have bonded. Dammit." He swore. Leon growled at took this chance to attack Ansem, the two went at it as Sora stumbled, trying to regain his footing. Ansem felt sweat run down his face, with a second spirit discovered, his powers were weakened considerably. Mind control was not an option anymore. He scowled. Leon was forcing him back with all the power he could. Ansem swore and summoned what heartless he could, Leon, being forced to deal with them, had to back off as the villain grinned wildly. Turning to Sora, his grin widened.

"Now keyblade wielder. Let us see what you can do." Ansem hissed, and suddenly struck. Sora dodged it, wincing as the sword grazed his shoulder but swung his keyblade into attack position. The teen then dashed forward, keyblade set to strike. As he swung down, Ansem dodged it, however, for some unknown reason, the keyblade stopped in mid strike to face the keyhole. And Sora's vision went white.

- Flashback -

"Hey, Suka!" Trey called out laughing. Satsuka turned to look at his friend and grinned.

"Just need to find one more. Then we can all go home." The teen murmured, looking at his keyblade. Trey nodded.

"I miss everyone."

"And I bet no one misses you." Coral teased walking up, sword slung over his shoulder. Trey smirked.

"No, the girls are probably all pining." He cried out while throwing his arms up dramatically.

"Are you at it again?" Magoto demanded from behind him. Trey smiled innocently.

"Who? Me?" Coral snorted.

"Yes you. Egotistical maniac." Trey sighed, then stiffened.

"Does anybody feel that?" He asked.

"Feel what?" Satsuka asked looking at his friend. Trey took a step back.

"It . . . I . . ." He tried.

"Trey? Trey look out, you're going to fall if you don't stop." Coral said frowning. Trey continued walking backwards. One step at a time.

"Trey?!" Satsuka screamed in panic as his friend neared the edge of the cliff. The other two had already started forward. Trey paled in panic as he realized what was wrong.

You can never seal the final world. . . Darkness cannot exist without light. And light cannot live without darkness. A voice whispered. The youth's eyes widened.

'What?'

Your hearts feed the darkness. Only if taken by darkness will the darkness in the worlds recede. . .that, is the fate of all of the star chosen. The purity of your hearts with purge the darkness from the worlds once more, you can never seal the worlds. Trey heard no more, as he took that final stepped and fell down the cliff, head first, into the jagged rocks and rolling waves.

- End -

Sora froze.

'Sat . . . . suka?'

---

"This way." Riku said sprinting down the hall. The others behind him.

'He's here. I can feel it.' Trey whispered to Riku through a mind link.

'Who?'

'Him. The former keyblade wielder of Truth. My rival and former . . . friend.'

'Satsuka. . . . Satsuka is here!' Coral said excitedly to Tidus.

'Who?' Tidus asked curiously.

'We were great friends, he and I, we battled darkness together and we almost would have won too, if not for Trey.'

"We're here." Kairi whispered. "Past this door . . . lies the room which connects the portal to this world, to the heart of this world." They all stopped in front of the door. Tidus paused, before shaking his head.

"Come, we find Sora now." And he strode forward.

---

'The final world . . . the world of which we did not seal.' A voice whistled through Sora's mind.

"The . . . world you did not . . . seal?" Sora repeated dimly. Ansem took a step back.

"It can't be . . ." He hissed.

'We did not. Because of . . . him.' The voice continued as the main door behind them opened. Sora turned and saw . . . Riku? No . . . not Riku, it looked like him, but he was . . . there was some sort of dark haze around, like a ghost. A ghost of . . .

"Trey." Sora hissed. Although, he wasn't quite Sora anymore. Riku stopped dead in his tracks.

"Satsuka." Riku said, nodding his head.

"Coral, it is good to see you again." Satsuka said with a nod to Tidus who blinked, then his eyes turned amber.

"Satsuka, it has been too long."

"Far too long." Then he looked at Kairi.

"You are . . . no. Not yet. You are not yet her little princess." Satsuka said fondly looking at Kairi. Kairi blinked.

"What?"

"Your . . . Your highness? Kai?!" A man said hesitantly, the group turned, inadvertently, they had forgotten about Vincent, up until this point. He stood there in disbelief, his gaze fixated upon Satsuka. But the minute he had said the word 'Kai', Sora shoved his way into consciousness and fell to his knees.

- Flashback -

"Saora!"

"Sarah. Come on, say it with me Kai." Sarah teased.

"Saora!"

"Kai!" Sarah cried in mock exasperation.

"Ha, ha. Saora and Vincy!!"

"Your highness . . ." Vincent said sweatdropping. "It is Vincent . . ."

"Vincy!!"

Sarah and Vincent sighed.

- End -

"Die Keyblade Wielder! And let your heart be swallowed by darkness!" Ansem suddenly broke in and aimed his sword for Sora's heart.

"Sora!"

KLANG!  
Sparks met on sparks as blades collided. Sora blinked, no, both he and Satsuka blinked, they shared views as one at the moment, both struggling to control.

"If anyone will kill the Keyblade Wielder of Truth, it will be me. Not you, you sack of sideslipping ooze." Riku/Trey hissed. He stood in front of Sora, Keyblade held in firm position as it fended off Ansem's assault. Ansem was forced off, his eyes widened in shock. Riku glared.

"Now, if you're so eager to see blood, come at me!" He challenged his keyblade in the air, a pool of darkness gathering around his feet, and his eyes held a sort of feral look. Ansem glared, then responded by summoning his guardian.

"Very well, but why should I be the first to make a move? If you'll indulge me, I prefer it that you come at me." Ansem hissed, eyes glinting with malice.

'Let me handle this scum.' Trey whispered to Riku. Riku sighed.

'Just leave me a little bit okay? I owe this guy several beatings. THOROUGH beatings.' The silver haired teen grumbled releasing control. Trey stifled a chortle.

'As you wish.' The darkness around Riku's feet flared for a moment, black inky tendrils rising from the pool, and they wrapped themselves around Riku, before sliding off his form and settling into its pool again, but it seemed even blacker then before. Ansem sneered.

"Couldn't let that immature boy handle this?" He asked, voice laced with venom and scorn. Trey smirked, lips curling into a sneer.

"It's been so long since I've killed you, I thought I should get some more practice Espan." Trey hissed. "No matter what form you take, no matter what body you possess, you're still the same evil, sadistic, homicidal madman on the inside. Your soul will never change, stop trying to make it." Trey growled venomously. Ansem smirked.

"Figured it out finally have you?"

"I figured it out a long time ago."

"Say what?" Tidus demanded. "What the hell is going on here?"

'Espan . . . Espan . . . I don't like the sound of that name, it fills me with terror. . .' Coral whispered to Tidus. 'I know it's familiar . . . but I've only been awake for so long, my memories haven't fully returned.'

'It's okay man. We'll work it out, but on the other hand, these guys can sort out their differences, but right now I see a few people who need a little bit of help.' Tidus thought looking over at where Leon, Aeris and Cloud who were all had their hands full with the relentless horde of heartless. The creatures seemed to have discovered a multiplying trick somewhere because every time one vanished, two more popped up in its former ally's place. Tidus ran forward, and in one fluid motion, his hand reached for the sword on his back, pulling it out from his sheath, he jumped into the air and slammed the blade onto the head of a heartless, it vanished in a puff of inky black smoke. Only to reform into two.

'Uh . . . memo to me, chopping them does not work today.' Tidus thought sweatdropping as two shadows squirmed around him.

'Geez man . . . what gave it away?' Coral demanded.

---

'Trey. . .' Sora thought softly, looking at Riku as he and Ansem battled with words. Suddenly he shook his head. 'No! Not Trey! That's Riku! Riku who helped me! He's my friend!' Sora thought desperately.

'No! He IS Trey.' A voice insisted. 'He is the one who betrayed me, he will betray you as well! You cannot trust him!' Sora groaned and clutched his forehead with his hand. Ansem saw this from the corner of his eye, and suddenly his malevolent grin broadened. With a feral grin directed at Trey . . . he vanished in a wave of light.

"What the-?!" Trey yelped looking wildly around, only to see Ansem . . . no, Espan appear behind Sora. Sora spun around, which was hard to do from his position on the floor, his eyes widening he groped wildly for his keyblade.

"Get away from me!" Sora spat still trying to find his weapon. Espan's grin grew even wider as he placed his hands on Sora's shoulders and forced Sora's eyes to meet his, and suddenly Ansem's golden eyes were gleaming.

"He betrayed you Satsuka. Why not take revenge on him now?" Espan asked, weaving power into the words, the fool of a boy was so weak from self conflict that it would be easy to put him under again. Sora's eyes began to dull as his spirit started winning the fight for control.

"He will . . . die by . . . my sword alone." Sora's lips whispered as Satsuka fought to emerge. Trey's face twisted in pain. Gripping his keyblade tight, Trey set himself in attack position.

'Oh gods . . . I'm going to have to kill him again . . . oh gods no . . .' Trey thought feverishly as Satsuka, his one time best friend and rival now stood before him, his mortal enemy. Satsuka, in Sora's body, grabbed the keyblade and faced Trey, positioned to attack as Espan moved away smiling. Trey gritted his teeth.

'Suka . . . please . . . . if one day you find out . . . I hope in my heart you will somehow let me beg forgiveness . . .' Trey thought sincerely as Satsuka glared.

"It's time to die traitor." He hissed, and raising his keyblade, dashed forward at Trey, just as the wielder of darkness did at the same time, both ran at each other, weapons raised, Trey's face was twisted in fear, Satsuka's in anger. As they drew near, Satsuka's blade suddenly struck down, Trey braked and backed up one step raising his blade to block the blow, sparks flared as the blades met. Jumping away, Trey rushed Satsuka, blade at his side and poised to swing at the mid-section. Satsuka blocked the blow with ease, before spinning to his left striking a blow at Trey. Trey's sword rose speedily and deflected the blow, slightly, Satsuka's sword grazed off his arm, leaving a thin cut, blood dripped down his arm. Biting his bottom lip to concentrate, Trey swung his sword back with startling speed, Satsuka swerved to dodge it, and succeeded, barely. The sword grazed a cheek, leaving an equally thin cut that also let loose a few drops of blood. Satsuka glared.

"It ends now traitor." He hissed, and suddenly waves of light radiated from his form. They rose like smoky tendrils, vanishing into the air. Satsuka, raised his sword and slash down on empty air. A sudden whistling sounded, and in the silence that followed, that one split second of quiet, a wave of white came rushing at Trey, who was so stunned that he had not the mind to raise his sword to protect himself.

The white wave collided with Trey and a white explosion ensued. From the cloud of dust and fading white energy flew Trey's battered form, it collided into the wall behind him, causing spider cracks to shoot through the wall as Trey's form slid to the ground. Landing on his feet, he cursed as his suddenly weak legs forced him to drop to one knee. Panting harshly, a thin line of blood trailing from his lips, he was forced to look up when a silver blade was pressed beneath his chin.

"Too bad Trey. I always thought you had more potential then this." Satsuka whispered. His eyes glinting with malice, they didn't suit Sora's face at all, for Sora's eyes were always filled with kindness, hope and the prospect of adventure. Satsuka's eyes held only death and hate. Trey closed his eyes and dropped his weapon, acceptance of his fate.

'I'm sorry Satsuka, Magoto, Coral . . . I have failed you all.'

---

Tidus forced a heartless shadow off of him and glared at the assailant who got back to its feet and started dancing around again.

"Augh there's no end to these things!!" Tidus growled stomping on a shadow that attempted to attack him. A sudden bright flare of light and an explosion brought his gaze back to the area of where Riku and Sora had been along with Kairi and that stupid idiot bad guy. His jaw literally dropped to the ground.

"Riku! Get up! GET UP!" Tidus screamed as he dashed forward, intent on saving his friend, only to be forced back as shadows barred his path. Tidus growled.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU F---ING LITTLE PIECES OF SHT!!" Tidus screamed and swung his sword in an arc, slicing through all of them, in the one instant it took for them to regenerate, he dashed forward.

"That kid is reckless." Cloud commented as he thunder spells a few wyverns and then turned his attention to the annoying little floating sparkle things.

"Cloud behind!" Aeris cried fending off a Behemoth with Yuffie. Leon scowled as he jumping into the air and with his sword tip pointed down, aimed for the giant heartless's head.

"It's no good you idiots." A voice said mockingly. "They'll just keep regenerating, and sooner or later, you'll be against hundreds of them, millions." Sephiroth, from his corner in the room said, he was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"Thanks for the cheerful outlook!" Yuffie snapped at him sarcastically as she threw a star at a shadow splitting it in the middle. Sephiroth sneered.

"I was stating the truth."

"Can it goth boy!" Yuffie snarled at him as she hammered away at the Behemoth. Sephiroth shrugged.

"Alright then, oh, by the way girl. Behind." A sudden yelp of pain followed by a flurry of curses made Sephiroth's lips curl upwards into an almost visible smile.

---

Satsuka's face was grim.

"Die." He said softly and raised his sword, with a paused breath he suddenly swung his sword down on Trey's helpless form.

"NO!" A voice yelled, and with it came a burst of light. It stopped everyone in their tracks, a cry so full of anguish, yet hope. The light grew in waves, and the heartless, turning to the light, let out an unearthly shriek before being shredded to non-existent particles by the pure light. Leon gaped. Everyone, including Satsuka, Trey and a half panicked Tidus turned to the cry's source. Kairi. Or . . . it looked like Kairi.

"Magoto . . . ." Trey whispered his face paling as terror, shame and guilt washed over his visage. She smiled at him, her eyes had turned from blue to a resonating green, and her smile was kind. Walking up to Satsuka and Trey, she stepped between them and kneeled down in front of Trey's form. Placing her hands on both sides of his face, she looked him squarely in the eyes. Taking a deep breath, she held the sad smile in place.

"I've been thinking for the many years we've been reincarnated, every time we were reborn, and every time you destroyed us, you always cried. Even the first time." Trey's eyes widened.

"W-what do you mean?" He demanded, trying to make his voice arrogant and cold, but failing as it cracked. Magoto smiled.

"What cause did you do it for?" She asked softly. "Why did you kill us Trey?" Trey blinked surprised, his mouth opened in shock but no words came out, and then . . . an unexpected tear, just a single one, fell down his cheek.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." He stuttered.

"Why did you kill us? What was the reason?" Magoto repeated patiently, Satsuka blinked, Coral too stirred.

'What is Magoto talking about?' Coral whispered to Tidus, and the teen could tell his spirit was confused and perhaps . . . afraid. Trey winced, then averted her gaze.

"Trey . . . look at me." The command of Magoto's voice, forced the spirit to do so. When his eyes met hers, he couldn't help it. He blurted out the secret in a hoarse voice, a voice that sounded like it had been keeping back tears for a long time.

"Because if we had sealed the last world then we would have locked away all darkness! And light cannot live without darkness, if we had sealed the last world then . . . we would have destroyed the darkness and light together! And in doing so kill all of mankind's' hopes, dreams . . . our very souls! You would never have understood!" He cried, his eyes were filled with pain as every time he had murdered them and himself, every time he had been forced to kill his closest friends for the worlds, every incident, every terror, every single time he had killed Coral, Satsuka, Magoto and their carriers replayed in his head.

"Mankind cannot live without hope! They'd have no reason to go on! We'd have killed our worlds rather then save them!" He pleaded, anguish filling his every word. "It was the only way! And god how I wished it wasn't! I'm sorry Magoto. I'm sorry!" His gaze fell to the floor, eyes gleaming with shame, and tears that threatened to fall. "I'm sorry. . . Satsuka . . . Coral . . . I'm . . ." He trailed off, unable to finish. Satsuka openly gaped.

"Trey . . . you . . .? But . . . why didn't-? Why didn't you-?"

"Why didn't I tell you?" Trey demanded. "Because you idiot!! I KNOW you! You would have disagreed with it, you would have said it was all a lie and that we should try anyway!!" Satsuka opened his mouth in protest but Coral, who had just taken of Tidus interrupted.

"He's right Suka . . . you would have said that. And so would have I. As would have Magoto." Coral whispered softly. Satsuka blinked, then shut his mouth looking lost. Instead he spun around, his keyblade suddenly vanished. Trey, with the aid of Magoto got to his feet leaning on her. Trey thanked her softly, before looking at Satsuka.

"Satsuka . . ." Trey whispered.

"I told you not to call me that." Satsuka snapped. Then he sighed and looked at Trey, the spirit was startled to see tears formed at the corner of Satsuka's eyes. "I told you my friends call me Suka. Although I must've been the lousiest friend ever, I'm sorry for doubting you Trey." Satsuka said softly, his gaze averting Trey's. Trey stood stunned, before smiling sadly.

"No, I beat you in the lousiest friend category. Sorry Sat- . . . Suka." Trey whispered. Satsuka turned to look at him and grinned lightly.

"Friends again huh?"

"Yeah." Coral wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve sheepishly.

"Aw damn you guys . . . you're gonna make me cry." He said in a whiny voice. Trey chuckled as Satsuka shook his head smiling. Magoto smiled.

"We're a family again." She said smiling. "But I think it's time . . . we let our carriers back out." She suggested softly.

"Agreed." The other three said at once and relinquished hold. Kairi suddenly found herself supporting a Riku who winced in the sudden flow of pain, Tidus made a face at the snot on his sleeve and Sora blinked, looking around.

'I am sorry for taking over like that. Can you ever forgive my rudeness? I hope to become friends . . . trust is sort of needed for what we are.' A voice whispered in Sora's head. Sora blinked.

'Satsuka?'

'Yes.'

' . . . Meh, people do stuff they regret. You're forgiven.' Sora thought cheerfully. He could feel Satsuka smile.

'Thank you.'

'No problem.'

"C'mon guys, I want out of here." Tidus said running up, Sora, Riku and Kairi nodded.

"It'll be good to get things back to normal." She said looking at Tidus smiling, then she turned to Sora, her smile dropped like a rock and her eyes widened in fear.

"Sor-!!!" Sora blinked, then his eyes widened as pain sprouted in his back, suddenly blood welled up in his mouth and he choked it out as pain flared through his stomach.

" . . What . . . the . . .?" He whispered looking down, a sword had pierced straight through his belly, blood flecked the ground in spots. Riku and Tidus gaped in open shock.

"Sora!!" Kairi screamed. "Sora! Sora-!" Her voice slowly began to fade as he fell to his knees. With a rough jerk, the sword was yanked from his body, and Sora turned slowly, his eyes meeting golden cruel ones.

"Goodbye Satsuka, and goodbye little carrier Sora." Espan hissed, eyes glinting with malice. Then Sora's world went black.

Disclaimer: I do not own, SO LAY OFF! OC are mine, so is plot, that's it, now go away.


End file.
